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Book. 



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REPORT 

of the 

Wisconsin Special Legislative Committee 

on 

FORESTRY 

of the 

Senate and Assembly 




Made to the 

Members of the 1915 Session ot the Wisconsin 
Legislature 

Pursuant to 

CHAPTER 670 OF THE LAWS OF 1013. 



I 



; 



/ 



REPORT 

of the 

Wisconsin Special Legislative Committee 

on 

FORESTRY 

of the 

Senate and Assembly 



Made to the 

Members of the 1915 Session of the Wisconsin 
Legislature 

Pursuant to 

CHAPTER 670 OF THE LAWS OF 1913. 



^[^ 






PERSONNEL OF COMMITTEE AND ASSISTANTS 



Members 

Senalors: 

A. PEARCE TOMKINS, Chairman, Ashland, Wis. 
HENRY A. HUBER, Stoughton, Wis. 
W. L. RICHARDS, Milwaukee, Wis. 

Assemblymen: 

AXEL JOHNSON, Secretary, Turtle Lake, Wis. 

R. J. NYE, Superior, Wis. 

H. M. LAURSEN, Shell Lake, Wis. 

E. J. KNEEN, Bangor, Wis. 

O. F. ROESSLER, Jefferson, Wis. , 

* f • 
Clerical Force 

A. V. GRUHN, Reporter, Racine, Wis. 

G. H. RAWLINSON, Clerk, La Crosse, Wis. 



JOSEPH STEVENS, Washburn, Wis. 
ERNEST DOPP, Superior, Wis. 
GEO. L. COTT, Shell Lake. Wis. 



i^. Of o^ 
>^A29 i$5 



/ 



TABLE OP^ CONTENTS 

Page 

Adoption of Report ' 

Bill: Relating to Consolidation of Departments f>7 

Bill: Relating to Taxation of Private Timberlands fi3 

Committee Findings; Summary of "^ 

Consolidation of State Board of Forestry with other Departments . . . (ifi 

Change in Fire Law •'J8 

Findings of Committee; Summary of 75 

Financial History of State Board of Forestry 31 

F"ire Law; Change in 58 

Introduction 9 

Investigation; Methods of 13 

Letter of Transmittal 8 

Methods of Investigation 13 

Personnel of Committee and Assistants 3 

Private Timberlands; Taxation of f>2 

Report; Adoption of 7 

Report and Findings of Committee 34 

Summary of Committee Findings 75 

Summary of Work and Financial History of the Slate Board of Forestry . . 22 

Taxation 60 

Taxation of Private Timberlands 62 

Transmittal, Letter of 8 

Work of the State Board of Forestry 22 



Letter of Transmittal 

Honorable Sirs: 

On behalf of the Special Legislative Committee on 
Forestry, appointed under Chapter 670 of the Laws 
of 1913, I transmit herewith their report. 

Very respectfully yours, 

(Signed) A. PEARCE TOMKINS, 

Chairman. 

To the Members of the Wisconsin Legislature for 
the Session of 1915. 

Dated, Ashland, Wis., Jan. 4, 1915. 



IIoLcl Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 

January 4, 1915. 

Mr. Roessler moved that tlie report herewith sub- 
mitted by the Chairman be adopted as the final re- 
port of this Special Legislative Committee on For- 
estry, the same be filed with the secretary of state 
with the request that he have printed two thousand 
copies thereof; that no bill defining the extent of the 
proposed permanent reserve or a method of disposal of 
the agricultural lands be submitted at this time but that 
such bill be offered separately to the Legislature at a 
future date, the report to contain a statement that 
such a bill will be so offered; and that the Chairman 
be authorized to affix the signatures of the members - 
of this Committee now present on said report. 

The motion was seconded by Mr. Nye and upon 
roll call the vote was as follows: Aijes — SENATORS 
Ruber and Tomkins. ASSEMBLYMEN Johnson, 
Nye, Kneen and Roessler. Noes — None. Total 

Vote — Ayes, G; Noes, none. 

Approved: 
(Signed) A. PEARCE TOMKINS. 

Chairmon. 



J'.i 



INTRODUCTION 

A storm of protest was raised in Northern Wis- 
consin by the statement in the report of the State 
Forester for the years 1911 and 1912 that the present 
state forest holdings of 400,000 acres should be in- 
creased so that the reserve would consist of between 
one million and one million and a half acres in order 
to block up and consolidate the present State lands. 
The same report claimed that the State should pur- 
chase at least 800,000 acres more in the permanent 
forest reserve area and it recommended that the 
Legislature pass a bill defining the boundaries of the 
reserve as follows: Commencing at the southwest 
corner of T. 38, R. 3 E., Price county, thence east 
along the south line of T. 38 to the eastern boundary 
line of Forest county, or the southeast corner of T. 
38, R. 14 E.; thence north along the east line of R. 
14 E., to the Wisconsin-Michigan boundary line, or 
the Menominee river; thence west along the Wiscon- 
sin-Michigan boundary line to the northeast corner 
of section 13 in T. 44, R. 4 E.; thence south on the 
east line of R. 4 E. to the northeast corner of T. 43, 
R. 4 E.; thence west to the northwest corner of T. 
43, R. 4 E.; thence south to the northwest corner of 
T. 41, R. 4 E.; thence west to the northwest corner 
T. 41, R. 2 E. ; thence south to the southwest corner 
of T. 41, R. 2 E.; thence east to the northwest cor- 
ner of T. 41, R. 2 E.; thence east to the northwest 
corner of T. 41, R. 3 K.; thence so Mi to the souih- 
west corner of T. 38, R. 3 E., or th. point of begin- 
ning, excepting from the same the following: — 

1. Lands within the limits of any village or city. 

2. The following townships or portions of town- 

ships: 

(a) T. 39 R. 6, E. 

(b) The south half of T. 40, R. 6 E. 

(c) The east tw^o-thirds of T. 38, R. 9 E. 

(d) The south two-thirds of T. 38, R. 

10 E. 

(e) T. 38, R. 11 E. 
(/) T. 40, R. 10 E. 



(g) T. 41, R. 10 E. 

(h) The north two-thirds of T. 41, R. 
11 E. 

The announcement of the above policy, together 
with the misunderstanding brought about by a lack 
of knowledge of the intention of those interested in 
forestry, engendered such a feeling in the north- 
eastern part of Wisconsin, particularly in the counties 
of Forest, Iron, Oneida, Price and Vilas, that every 
pressure possible was brought to bear upon the mem- 
bers at the last session of the Legislature to stop 
further purchases by the Board. This seemed partly 
to have grown out of a misunderstanding, not as to 
the location of the lands to be taken as a permanent 
forest reserve, but as to the character of the lands so 
to be used. A large delegation was present at the 
hearing on the bill creating this Special Joint Com- 
mittee and a great deal of interest and bitterness 
was displayed by the people of the district affected. 

An examination of the j)ages of the report of the 
State Forester* will show conclusively that it never 
was the intention of the Forestry Board to take any 
but non-agricultural lands. The following was the 
language used by him: "The i)ro{)osed act should 
clearly point out that it is the intention of the state 
.to eventually acquire all the unoccupied and non- 
agricultural lands suitable for forestry within the 
boundaries of the forest reserve." 

This will also be seen from the following quota- 
tions from the reports of the State Forester: 

"It is one of the tenets of forestry that no land 
should be held permanently under forests which is 
more suitable for agriculture, and every parcel of 
land within the state forest reserve will be examined 
with this in mind, so that land which is valuable for 
agriculture may be withdrawn and offered for sale. 
By such careful selection, the creation of an adequate 
state forest reserve will in no way retard the devel- 
opment of northern Wisconsin, but, on the other 
hand, the state's forest policy of cutting conserva- 
tively, and so always having something to cut, will 
in a few years give to all the settlers near the re- 

* Report 1911-1<J12. Page 'il. 



serve, plenty of good paying work during the winter, 
when it is most needed. Every state has areas that 
are not arable, and such, but only such, should be 
held permanently under forests. "(*) 

"The best available estimates show that there is 
approximately 13,000,000 acres of unimproved land 
in the twenty-two northern counties. Most of this 
land has a good soil, is free from rocks and is well 
adapted to farming, so that eventually probably 
10,000,000 acres will be used in some form of agri- 
culture, leaving som6 3,000,000 acres for forest 
growth. 

"It should be understood that these figures are 
mere estimates, based upon the best available figures, 
but they are probably approximately correct in the 
proportion of agricultural to non-agricultural land 
and give some idea of the situation. 

"It need not be feared that the State Board of 
Forestry will try to class agricultural as forest land, 
for it is one of the main tenets of forestry that tim- 
ber should not be held upon land suited to agri- 
culture, as there is enough land in every country 
which is suited only to forest growth. However, 
although foresters receive some training in soil analy- 
sis, they are not experts and should not attempt to 
finally classify lands, where the question is a close 
one to decide, as it is in so many sections of northern 
Wisconsin. "(t) 

"Town and county officials and land companies 
are naturally loath to admit that any of their land 
is non-agricultural, and they are prone to charge 
foresters with discouraging settlement. But the 
tenets of forestry are that no land should be kept for 
forestry that is more valuable for agriculture, and 
certainly the Forestry Board would be inclined to 
welcome settlers in the forest reserve as they would 
usually prove good workmen whose interests would 
be identical with those of the state. 

"But the Forestry Board would be doing a great 
wrong to encourage any man to locate on an isolated 
tract of rather doubtful agricultural land in the heart 

* Report 1906, Page 7. 

+ Report 1909-'10, Page 59. 



of the forest reserve, for though the man might be 
willing, it would doom his wife and children to a 
hard, lonely existence without the benefits of good 
schools of a growing community." (*) 

The people of Northeastern Wisconsin were led to 
believe that it was the purpose of the Forestry 
Board to acquire all the lands within this proposed 
area excepting a few townships adjoining the settle- 
ments, villages or cities therein. If the language 
used by the State Forester is carefully studied it can 
clearly be seen that this was not their purpose. 
The intention was lo restrict future purchases to a 
given area and to confine those purchases as nearly 
as possible to lands not suited to agricultural use and 
unprofitable for farming. This could not be done, of 
course, without acquiring some agricultural lands, but 
where the attention of the Board had been called to 
lands of known agricultural value, these districts had 
been eliminated and the lands offered for sale by the 
State. 

During the session Bill No. 487, A. was enacted 
Unto a law and became chapter 670 of the Laws of 
1913. This l)ill provided for the appointment of 
three members of the Senate by the President thereof 
and five members of the Assembly by the Speaker 
thereof whose duty it was, first, to report at the next 
regular session what areas of land now held as forest 
reserve, and those parts proposed to be included 
within such forest reserve, within the counties of 
Forest, Iron, Price, Oneida and Vilas are bettcJ 
adapted to agricultural than to forestry purposes 
and whether the best interests of all persons con- 
cerned, and especially the taxpayers of the State will 
not be better promoted by devoting said lands to 
other than reforestation purposes. Pursuant to this 
act the following members were appointed: Senators: 
A. Pearce Tomkins, Henry A. Huber, W. L. Richards, 
Assemblymen: Axel Johnson, Ray J. Nye, H. M. 
Laursen. E. J. Kneen and O. F. Roessler. 



* Report 1911-1912, Page 57. 



METHODS OF INVESTIGATION 



On the 20th day of October, 1913, the members of 
this Committee together with three practical cruisers 
of long experience, Messrs. Joseph Stevens of Wash- 
burn, Wis.; Ernest Dopp of Superior, Wis.; and 
George L. Cott of Shell Lake, Wis.; met at Minoc- 
qua in Oneida County and proceeded, first, to the 
State Forestry Headquarters at Trout Lake. 

During a period covering the next nineteen days, 
from this point and from Boulder Jet., the Blue 
Grass Farm, Kraft's Camp in 43-7, Star Lake, Say- 
ner, Eagle River, Tomahawk Lake, Rhinelander, 
Knapp's Resort on Sugar Camp Lake in 38-9, Min- 
ocqua, Hazelhurst, Powell, Manitowish, Mercer,. 
Winchester and the Ranger's Cabin at Rest Lake, 
the Committee under the guidance of the above 
named cruisers and with the assistance of different 
forest rangers furnished by the Department of For- 
estry spent their time in a personal examination of 
the following townships or parts of townships: 
Township 38 north, range 6 east; T. 38 N., R. 7 E.; 
T. 38 N., R. 8 E.; T. 38 N., R. 9 E.; T. 38 N., R. 
10 E.; T. 39 N., R. 5 E.; T. 39 N., R. (i E.; T. 39 
N., R. 7 E.; T. 39 N., R. 8 E.; T. 39 N. R. 9 E.; 
T. 40 N., R. 6 E.; T. 40 N., R. 7 E.; T. 40 N., 
R. 8 E.; T. 40 N., R. 9 E.; T. 40 N., R. 10 E.; 
T. 41 N., R. 3 E.; T. 41 N., R. 4 E.; T. 41 N., 
R. 6 E.; T. 41 N., R. 7 E.; T. 41 N., R. 8 E.; 
T. 41 N., R. 9 E.; T. 42 N., R. 4 E.; T. 42 N., R. 
5 E.; T. 42 N., R. G E.; T. 42 N., R. 7 E.; T. 42 
N., R. 8 E.; T. 42 N., R. 9 E.; T. 43 N., R. 4 E.; 
T. 43 N., R. 5 E.; T. 43 N., R. 7 E.; T. 44 N., 
R. 5 E. 

These trips were made on foot except where, by 
use of horses, railroad speeders, and trains time could 
be made in going to and from a starting point. 
Care was at all times taken to know almost the 
exact location of the different parties into which the 
Committee was divided. Every effort was made to 
reach the farms located in the area visited and to 
engage the farmers in conversation and get their 



14 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

ideas as to the agricultural possibilities of the lands with 
which they were familiar. In this way the Com- 
mittee got most excellent information as to the char- 
acter of the soil and general topography of the coun- 
try. The visit was made at a time of the year when 
a considerable distance could be covered with very 
little fatigue and when the trees were devoid of fo- 
liage and the ground bare so that soil conditions 
could be plainly seen. This trip was made to cover 
the wildest part, perhaps, of the forest reserve area 
and into a region where there were very few settlers, 
although, of course, on many occasions the Com- 
mittee visited territories which were quite thickly 
populated, especially for this Northern country. 
Notes were made on every section reached, and on 
the return of the party to headquarters at night one 
member of each crew dictated a report of the day's 
trip with such additions as the other members and 
cruiser accompanying them might suggest. These 
were signed by the Committee members and cruisers 
and have been preserved. 

The route covered by each crew was planned by 
the Chairman of the Committee and an examination 
of the map showing the area inspected will demon- 
strate that some of the townships were covered most 
thoroughly. 

The rangers were of great assistance as guides, 
being familiar with the different roads, section cor- 
ners, quarter posts, lakes and other land marks and 
were depended upon to guide the Committee to the 
places desired to be reached, where, with the assis- 
tance of the cruisers, no difTiculty was had in ascer- 
taining the exact location. 

On February 5 and 6, 1914, pursuant to notices 
published for several weeks in all of the newspapers 
printed in Vilas county, a hearing was called at the 
Court House in Eagle River. Through a misunder- 
standing upon the part of some of the people inter- 
ested from that district and a desire to have the 
meetings held in t'he summer, an attempt was made 
to adjourn this meeting by the people of Vilas 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 15 

county. On arrival at Eagle River, however, it was 
found that several people desired to be heard, so 
that the day of the 5th and part of the 6th were 
occupied in taking testimony as to the character of 
the soil and the agricultural possibilities of Vilas 
county in particular and all the lands in the forest 
reserve area in general. 

After this hearing adjournment was had until the 
10th of March, 1914, at Phillips, Wis., where after 
notice being given as in the case of the Eagle River 
meeting, a hearing was held and many witnesses 
appeared and testified. 

Like hearings were then held at Hurley in Iron 
county on the 11th; Crandon, Forest county on the 
12th and 13th; Eagle River on the 16th and 17th; 
Rhinelander, Oneida county, on the 19th and 20th. 
These hearings were all well attended; many cruisers, 
lumbermen, real estate men, farmers, and others well 
acquainted with the lands in these five counties were 
sworn as witnesses and furnished the Committee with 
much information. 

On June 22d several members of the Committee 
met at Minocqua, Wis., and by the use of two auto- 
mobiles made a trip which included Woodruff, Coon's 
resort at Trout Lake, the Wright Farm, Blue Grass 
Farm, Boulder Jet., A. L. Stevenson Farm in T. 
41-7, State Headquarters at Trout Lake, High Lake, 
Forestry Cabin in Section 12-42-8, Star Lake, Say- 
ner, St. Germain Lake, Eagle River, Sugar Camp 
Lake in T 38-9, Rhinelander, where a morning was 
spent in company with Senator W. T. Stevens in 
visiting several farmers, Newbold, McNaughton, 
Hazelhurst, and back to JVlinocqua. All farms 
within reach were inspected. At this time of the 
year, though the spring was somewhat backward, 
opportunity was presented to get a good idea of 
what could be expected from the soil. Small grain 
was all up, the hay had most of its growth, and corn 
and potatoes were above the ground. This trip 
covered much of the same area visited by the Com- 
mittee in the fall. Mr. John Bolger, a farmer and 



16 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

heavy land owner of Minocqua and Mr. E. M, 
Weaver, Chief Forest Ranger, were with the party. 
The reason for covering substantially the same area 
as examined in the fall was to see the territory at a 
time when everything was in bloom and growing, 
because the former trip was made at a period when 
practically all vegetation was dead. While it might 
be said that in both of these trips the territory 
covered was some of the wildest and poorest in the 
proposed forest reserve, still, visits were made to 
some of the very best kind of land. Members of 
the Committee at all times went out of their way to 
visit the lields of farmers and into their granaries 
and cellars to see what crops had been harvested. 

Prior to this last trip an attempt was made to 
have the Executive Committee of which Mr. A. W. 
Brown is the Chairman and Mr. B. N. Moran the 
Secretary, and known as the "Executive Committee 
Representing the Counties of Forest, Iron, Oneida, 
Price and \ilas," plan a trip and accompany the 
party, but this was refused, they stating that the 
trip should be made at a later date. 

In the latter part of July the Chairman of this 
Forestry Committee wrote to the Secretary of the 
above mentioned Executive Committee asking that 
they fix a date or dates for the Committee to make 
another tour of inspection in their company and 
under their guidance, but no reply was had to this 
letter. 

On July 23, 1914, the following members of the 
Committee met at Buffalo, N. Y.; Senators: A. 
Pearce Tomkins, and H. A. Huber; Assemblymen: 
R. J. Nye, E. J. Kneen, and H. M. Laursen for the 
purpose of making a tour of inspection of the forest 
reserves of Pennsylvania, NeW' York and Connecti- 
cut and with the further idea of visiting as many 
private plantings of white and norway pine as could 
be conveniently reached and of seeing as much as 
possible of the natural reproduction of these two 
specie where they had been protected from fire and 
otherwise. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 17 

On the afternoon of the 24th the members were 
met at Galeton, Potter County, Pa., by Hon. Robert 
S. Conklin, Hon. I. C. Williams, Hon. Simon B. 
Elliott, and Hon. J. Linn Harris, of the State For- 
estry Conservation Commission, together with several 
other foresters and parties interested in forestry work. 
Visits were made to the State Nursery, at Asaph in 
Tioga county, plantings of trees about Cross Fork in 
Potter county, and an inspection made of their 
ranger cabins, telephone lines, roads, and lire lines 
in what is known as the Stewardson Township dis- 
trict. Every courtesy possible was extended by Mr. 
Conklin and the other gentlemen of Pennsylvania 
and much valuable information received as to the 
practical work in forestry and an ample opportunity 
given to compare the work of the Pennsylvania for- 
estry department with that of our own State. 

On July 27 the party was taken in charge by Hon. 
Clifford R. Pettis, State Supt. of Forests, of New 
York State, at Saranac Lake, N. Y. This is in the 
Adirondack Forest Reserve. Visits were made to 
Raybrook and Chub Hill plantations, Saranac Inn 
Nursery, Lake Clear Nursery, and the Carley Nur- 
sery and to the State plantings at Lake Clear 
Junction and Paul Smiths. The plantings in New 
York are more extensive than in Pennsylvania and 
the work has been carried on since 1901 so that 
plantings of trees up to thirteen years were seen. 
The oldest growth was of scotch pine near Lake 
Clear Junction. These trees averaged eighteen feet 
in height. Several plantings of white and norway 
pine were also seen. These, without exception, were 
doing well, illustrating that the planting, cultivation 
and growing of pine trees from nursery stock is 
feasible. Nowhere was there any failure or sign of 
failure. 

Mr. Pettis also accompanied the Committee to 
Warrensburg and Chestertown, N. Y., in the terri- 
tory West and North of Lake George. Here many 
thousands of acres of natural, second growth of white 
pine were seen ranging in age up to sixty years. The 



18 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

soil in this territory is sandy by reason of which it 
seems that the white pine seed has a much better 
opportunity to germinate, and, therefore, the very 
best results were obtained from natural seeding. 
Many stands of pine were here seen which would be 
coveted by the lumbermen of Northern Wisconsin. 
In fact, the growth is such now that some of it is 
being cut. 

Considerable of the lands upon which were found 
this second growth of white pine were old abandoned 
farms which had been cultivated for many years and 
given up because of their light sandy nature making 
them unprofitable for farming. 

No better opportunity could possibly be had for 
studying the attempts of nature to reforest cut-over 
and abandoned farm lands. Everywhere that any 
seed trees had been left, excellent growths were 
found: and where the fire had been kept out the 
second growth stand was fully as good as the virgin 
timber. There is no reason why, with the proper 
fire protection, much of Northern Wisconsin will not 
in time become rehabilitated with a growth of white 
and norway pine of great commercial value. 

Mr. Charles Faxon of the Faxon Estate at Ches- 
tertown imparted much valuable information to the 
Committee, showed them over his holdings and ac- 
companied them on a visit to his private plantings, 
one of which was white pine planted in 1884. This 
planting adjoined a natural second growth forest so 
that a very good opportunity was afforded for a com- 
parison of natural and artificial forest growths. 

At Warrensburg the Committee visited a planta- 
tation of white pine thirty years old. This planting 
was made by an Episcopal Congregation, was two 
acres in extent, and showed a fine growth. 

On the 31st day of July the Committee was met 
by Hon. Walter O. Filley, Chief Forester for the 
State of Connecticut, at Hartford, Conn. Under 
his direction the Rainbow plantations conducted by 
the Forestry Department and consisting of many dif- 
ferent varieties in all ages of growth up to fourteen 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 19 

years, were visited. We next saw the planting of 
white and norway pine owned by Mr. Amos Bridge 
of Hazardville, Conn., planted by the Shakers some 
forty or forty-five years ago. The next day in com- 
pany with Mr. Filley and Professor J. W. Tourney, 
Dean of the Yale Forestry School, plantings of the 
New Haven Water Company adjacent to the City of 
New Haven, and two private plantings at Greenfield 
Hill near Bridgeport were examined. Not only from 
the work seen and the plantations visited but from 
the opportunity afforded in coming in contact with 
men thoroughly versed in the work of the forestry 
departments of these three great States did the Com- 
mittee gain much valuable knowledge. 

On Aug. 3, in company with Hon. Robert S. 
Conklin a trip was made to the Mt. Alto Forestry 
School at Mt. Alto., Pa, and here the Old Forge, 
Irishtown, Monaghan and South Mountain planta- 
tions were seen. The plantings were older than in 
the North Central part of Pennsylvania and the re- 
sults obtained covered a longer period of time. 
Pennsylvania has planted 6,000 acres principally to 
white and norway pine averaging 2,000 trees to the 
acre. This planting has cost on an average, $9 per 
acre, exclusive of cost of land and interest on the 
investment. 

On all the tours of inspection many growths of 
white, scotch, norway and western yellow pine, 
European larch and norway spruce were seen. These 
plantations covered hundreds of acres and all stages 
of growth from one year to twelve years. Every- 
where the results were the same. Nowhere had the 
attempt to grow trees proved unsuccessful. The 
stock all appeared thrifty and showed wonderful 
growths each year. Some of these were measured by 
the Committee and reached a growth of thirty-five 
inches for this year, and it was stated that they 
would probably grow another three inches before the 
season was over. 

The Committee held a meeting with the members 
of the Forestry Commission of Pennsylvania and 



20 RKPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

Hon. I. C. Williams, Deputy Commissioner of For- 
estry, Hon. Simon B. Elliott and other gentlemen 
present went into detail and described the work done 
by the F'orestry Department of Pennsylvania from its 
nception. 

Both Mr. Pettis of the New York Department and 
Mr. Filley and Prof. Toumey of Connecticut were 
most kind in furnishing every bit of information pos- 
sible and answering the many questions of the Com- 
mittee. 

Careful observations were made of the soil, cli- 
matic and other conditions with the idea of ascer- 
taining just how far conditions in the States visited 
compared with those of our own. 

The people of Wisconsin will, no doubt, be inter- 
ested in the comparison of the work of our own 
State with that of the East. While we have been at 
work a very few years only, what has been done 
measures up in every way with the work of our sis- 
ter States. The nursery beds at Trout Lake com- 
pare very favorably with Eastern nurseries and are 
fully as good as any the Committee saw elsewhere. 
Our plantings of pine, while much younger, are doing 
fully as well. These plantings have all been made from 
stock grown in our own nurseries w'ith the exception 
of a few thousand Western Yellow pine purchased 
from the Stale of Michigan before our own nurseries 
were turning out any planting stock. When it comes 
to results obtained in the construction of fire lines, 
telephone systems and rangers' cabins and the gen- 
eral work of maintenance, we believe the results we 
have accomplished are as good, if not better, than 
those of the three eastern States visited. 

The State Forester is to be congratulated on the 
field force under him. W'e found them all to be very 
thorough and much interested in their work. 

On Nov. 12, 13, and 14, 1914, a general hearing 
was held at the Hotel Wisconsin at Milwaukee. 
Notices were sent out to a great number who had 
signified a desire to express their views as to the 
kind of a forestry policy Wisconsin should engage in. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 21 

The meeting was well attended, considerable interest 
shown, and much valuable inforamtion was elicited. 
On Dec. 18 a meeting was held at the City of 
Rhinelander in Oneida county for a conference with 
members of the Legislature from that territory and 
with others from the district affected by the plan for 
a proposed permanent fprest reserve. 



22 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



SUMMARY OF WORK AND FINANCIAL 
HISTORY OF THE STATE BOARD 
OF FORESTRY 



{Furnished bij Mr. E. M.^ Griffith, State Forester, 
upon questions sulunitted Inj the Committee.) 

Office Force. 

Salary 

, Slate Forester • $3,600 

Chief Clerk 1,500 

Stenographer 900 

Total $6,000 

Field Force. 

Xiiiuber. Salaries. 

Forestry Assistants 5 $3,600 

1 at $85 per month. 

2 at $60 per month. 

2 at $50 per month. 

NOTE. Two of the forestry assistants devote 
almost their entire time to the forest nurseries 
and planting work. 

Forest Rangers 12 $11,200 

1 at $130 per month. Head Ranger, (furn- 
ishes two horses) 

3 at $100 per month (each furnish one 

horse) 
3 at $85 per month. 
5 at $50 per month. 

NOTE. Where it is necessary for a ranger to 
purchase and keep a horse he is allowed $15 per 
month. 

Nun7her. Salaries 

Timber Cruiser 1 $1,500 

1 at $5 per day for time he actually works. 

Locomotive Inspector 1 $1,500 

1 at $5 per day for time he actually works. 
Laborers at Headquarters Camp 2 780 

Laborers on forest reserve, variable ( approx. ) 1 0,000 

Crews building roads, fire lines, nursery work, 

planting, etc. ■ 

Total $28,660 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 23 

Buildings. 

The following buildings have been erected on the state forest re- 
serve, viz : 
Big Trout Lake Cost. 

Headquarters Camp $5,968 

Barn 1,145 

Boathouse and Pumping Station 770 

Ice House and Woodshed 576 

Carpenter Shop [285 

Chicken and Tool House 85 

Total • $8,829 

Rest Lake 

Ranger Cabin $1,600 

Barn 540 

Mens' Cabin 520 

Woodshed and Ice House 275 

Wagonshed and Tool House 165 

Total $3,100 

Oxley 

Ranger Cabin $1,500 

Barn 757 

Mens' Cabin 502 

Woodshed and Ice House 300 

Total $3,059 

Plum Lake 

Ranger Cabin $1,614 

Mens' Cabin 560 

Barn 484 

Ice House and Woodshed 287 

Wagonshed and Tool House 124 



Total $3,069 

Star Lake 

Ranger Cabin $2,108 

Barn 863 

Mens' Cabin 472 

Ice House and Woodshed 266 

Total $3,709 

Wildcat Lake 

Ranger Cabin $2,414 

Barn 731 

Mens' Cabin 475 

Woodshed and Ice House 342 

Total $3,962 



24 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

Tomahawk LaJ:e 

Ranger Cabin $1,987 

Barn and Wagon Shed 802 

Mens' Cabin 525 

Ice House and Woodshed 305 

Total $3,519 

Carroll Lake 

Mens' Cabin $522 

Ice House and Woodshed 372 

S894 

Biiiidini:^ I'urcha-'-ed l>y State fc»r L -f f>f Forest Rangers 
and Patrf)lnien 

Vilas County Value 

Cabin in Sec. 28, 41-7 E $ 50 

Cabin in Sec. 12, 42-8 E 300 

Cabin in Sec. 14, 43-7 E 100 

Total $450 

Iron County Value 

Cabn in Sec. 32. 42-4 E $100 

Forest Nurseries 

Two forest nurseries are maintained, one at Big 
Trout Lake, Vilas county, and the other at Toma- 
hawk Lake, Oneida county. The nursery at Big 
Trout Lake contains approximately 8 acres, and has 
an annual average output of 1,000,000 trees. The 
average cost of raising the young trees of all species 
including everything — value land, clearing, fencing, 
seed, salaries, labor, depreciation, etc., is as follows: 

1 year seedlings $ .78 per thousand 

2 year seedlings .90 per thousand 

2 year transplants 1.72 per thousand 

The Tomahawk Lake nursery was started in the 
spring of 1914, and will produce its first planting 
stock in 1916. It contains 3 acres and the annual 
output will be between 400,000 and 500,000 trees. 
It is expected that the cost of producing the trees 
will be approximately the same as at the Trout 
Lake nurserv. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 25 

Forest Plantations 

Approximately 1,000 acres of land in the forest 
reserve which had been cut and burned over before 
it was acciuired by the State and which was not re- 
stocking naturally, have been replanted with the fol- 
lowing species, viz: White pine, Norway pine, Nor- 
way spruce, Scotch pine, and Western yellow pine, 
the first two species largely predominating. Some 
1,110,200 trees were used in the planting operations, 
and it is estimated that at least 85 per cent of all 
the trees are growing and are in a fine healthy con- 
dition, and this is more than sufiicient to assure a 
good, heavy stand of timber. The average cost of 
the plantations, including everything — cost of trees, 
transportation, salaries, wages, etc., has been $4.98 
per acre. 

Sale of Nursery Slock 

In order to encourage the reforestation of lands 
from which the timber has been cut and which are 
not suitable for farming, the policy has been adopted 
of selling planting material to citizens of the State, 
at a small cost. During 1914 there were sold to 
citizens of the State for reforestation in Wisconsin 
24,000 trees at an average price of $3.50 per thou- 
sand trees. It is expected that this demand for 
state nursery stock will increase rapidly. 

Surveying Island and Lake Lots 

Congress granted to Wisconsin as additions to the 
forest reserves, all unsurveyed islands in inland lakes 
North of town 33. In this way 637 islands have 
been added to the forest reserve, and nearly the 
entire time of one of the forest rangers is taken in 
surveying these islands and the lake frontages which 
are being laid off in lake lots. The forest ranger 
detailed to this work receives $85 a month. 

Locomotive Inspection 

The passage of Chapter 494, Laws 1911, gave 
Wisconsin one of the strongest and most practical 



26 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

laws in the country for reducing the number of for- 
est fires set by railway locomotives, donkey, traction 
and portable engines. One inspector is employed 
and each season he inspects between 600 and 700 
locomotives, and sees that the railroad rights of way 
are kept clean and free of inflammable material. 
The inspector is paid $5 a day and his traveling 
expenses. 

Cruiser and Trespass Agent 

One timber cruiser is employed and this man also 
acts as trespass agent. His duties are to look after 
the 88,822 acres of land owned by the State outside 
of the forest reserve, to prevent timber trespass and 
to report on all sales of land or timber. He receives 
$5 a day and his traveling expenses. 

Care of State Parks 

The Legislature in 1913 gave the care and super- 
vision of the State Parks to the State Board of For- 
estry and made the following appropriations for their 
maintenance and improvement for two years: 

Park Acreage Appropriation 

Peninsula State Park 3,700 acres $18,000 

Marquette State Park 1,671 acres 8,000 

Devil's Lake State Park 1,040 acres 10,000 

Interstate State Park 550 acres 2,000 

Total 6,961 acres $38,000 

Camp for Convalescent Consumptives 

The State Board of Forestry is co-operating with 
the State Board of Control in establishing a camp 
for convalescent consumptives on the shores of 
Tomahawk Lake, in Oneida county. The patients 
will be given work both in the forest nursery at 
Tomahawk Lake and in forest planting. 

Forest Ranger School 

The State Board of Forestry is co-operating with 
the University in conducting a course which trains 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 27 

men for the work of forest rangers. From January 
6 to April 14 the instruction is at the University. 
From April 16 to August 1 the students are given 
instruction and work on the forest reserves, and 
when working for the State they are allowed $40 
per month and board. 

Game Preserve 

In co-operation with the Game Warden's depart- 
ment 218 acres of forest reserve land near Big 
Trout Lake, Vilas County, have been enclosed in a 
game proof fence and stocked with deer. The 
Government has offered to give Wisconsin 50 elk and 
it is expected that these will be received early in 
1915, and placed in the game preserve. By liberat- 
ing the deer and elk as their number increases the 
forest reserve will be kept stocked. 

Study of Farm Woodlots 

In cooperation with the U. S. Forest Service, a 
study of farm woodlots is being made in order to 
assist farmers in the better management of their 
woodlands, including the cooperative marketing of 
their timber. Sixteen counties have been com- 
pleted, and within two years it is hoped to com- 
plete the work for the entire State. Two of the 
forestry assistants are now devoting their entire 
time to the w^ork. They receive $50 per month and 
their traveling expenses. 

Study of the Taxation of Timberlands 

In cooperation with the U. S. Forest Service, a 
report has been issued on "The Taxation of Forest 
Lands in Wisconsin." The main purpose of the 
study was to determine the extent of the burden 
now carried by timberlands as a result of the pres- 
ent methods of taxation, and what influence, if any, 
such methods of taxation have or will have on the 
practice of forestry by private owners. The U. S. 
Forest Service paid the salaries of the foresters in 



28 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

charge of the work and Wisconsin paid their travel- 
ing expenses. The cost to Wisconsin of this study 
was $612.51. 

Study of the Wood-Using Industries 

In cooperation with the U. S. Forest Service a re- 
port has been issued on the "Wisconsin Wood-Using 
Industries." The study was made with the idea that 
by gaining a knowledge of the needs of the manu- 
facturers and of the timber resources of the State, 
a rational forestry policy could be outlined so that 
the producing and consuming industries dependent 
on wood may be perpetuated and enlarged. 

The U, S. Forest Service paid the salaries of the 
foresters in charge of the work, and Wisconsin paid 
a portion of their traveling expenses. The cost to 
Wisconsin of this study was $107.25. 

Fetlerai and Stale Fire Protective Work 

Congress under the provisions of the Weeks Law, 
authorized the U. S. Forest Service to cooperate with 
the various states in protecting timberlands upon the 
headwaters of navigable streams from forest fires. 
The act provides, however, that no part of the ap- 
propriation shall be used in any state that has not 
established a forest fire patrol system of its own, and 
therefore only a few states were able to qualify. 

Wisconsin's application for assistance in protecting 
the headwaters of the Wisconsin and Chippewa rivers 
was approved, and for the last four years the Wis- 
consin State Board of Forestry has been allowed 
$5,000 each year to employ Federal patrolmen. 
From about May 1 to December 1, twelve Federal 
patrolmen are employed to assist an equal number 
of state forest rangers in protecting all lands from 
fire within the forest reserve. During the last two 
seasons the Chicago cv: Northwestern Railway has 
contributed over $900 each year to employ forest 
patrolmen, and lumber companies and private indi- 
viduals have also cooperated in this all-important 
work of prevention. 



: ^ 




REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 29 

Lookout Towers 

For forest fire protect on, four 55-foot steel look- 
out towers have been built on some of the highest 
hills within the forest reserve. From all the towers 
the country can be seen for 10 miles in almost any 
direction, and during dangerously dry weather the 
observers report immediately by telephone any fire or 
smoke that may be seen. The average cost of the 
towers has been $136.90. 

Cutting Stubs 

Old dead stubs are one of the most proliiic means 
of spreading forest hres, as the fire ciuickly runs up 
the dead bark to the top of the tree, and a slight 
wind will carry the burning bark for long distances. 
Such old stubs have been cut back for six rods on 
each side of over 125 miles of roads and fire lines at 
an average cost of less than $6 per mile. 

Slash Burning 

Where the slash from old lumbering operations is 
heavy, and especially where it adjoins timber or 
other valuable property, it is necessary to pile and 
burn it so that it shall not be a constant meance to 
the forest reserve. Over 1500 acres of dangerous 
slashings have been destroyed at an average cost of 
$5 per acre. 

Roads 

In order to make the forest reserve easily acces- 
sible to the forestry force, to the few settlers who 
live in this region, and to the thousands of tourists, 
and also to serve as fire lines, there have been con- 
structed 248 miles of dirt roads, at a cost of $32,734, 
or an average cost of $131.58 per mile. 

Fire Lines 

To control the spread of forest fires, the forest re- 
serves have been gridironed with a system of roads 



30 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

and fire lines. In this way the reserves have been 
split up into blocks and through this system it is 
comparatively easy to conhne a forest fire to a small 
area. There have been built 141 miles of fire lines 
at a cost of $11,939, or an average cost of $84.67 
per mile. 

Telephone Lines 

The telephone is the most important aid in forest 
fire prevention and fire fighting, as the headquarters 
camp and all the ranger cabins and lookout towers 
are connected, and help can be promptly secured as 
soon as a forest fire starts. There have been built 
76 miles of telephone lines at a cost of $2,731, or an 
average cost of $35.93 per mile. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 31 



SUMMARY OF THE FINANCIAL HISTORY OF THE STATE 
BOARD OF FORESTRY FROM ITS ORGANIZATION 

TO DATE. 

Appropriations for Adiiiinistration Purposes: 

1903- 4 $4,045 

1904- 5 5,500 

1905- 6 9,800 

1906- 7 9,800 

1907- 8 9,800 

1908- 9 9,800 

1909-10 9,800 

1910-11 9,800 

1911-12 --- 35,000 

35,000 1912-13 

1913-14 35,000 

Total $173,345 

Gifts of Land to the Forest Reserve: 

Nebagamon Lumber Co., 4,321.07 ac. at $10.00 $ 43,210 

Federal Government, 19,950.57 ac. at $5.00 99,752 

Federal Government, 637 islands 204,566 

Total Value of Donations $347,528 

Total Value of Donations to the Forest Reserve $347,528 

Total Appropriations for Administrative Purposes 173,345 

Excess Donations over Appropriations $174,183 

Purchases of Forest Reserve Lands: 

Acreage purchased from $2.00 or less to $2.56 60,217.62 acres 

Acreage purchased from 2.68 to 3.50 56,972.54 acres 

Acreage purchased from 3.75 to 4.60 38,451.95 acres 

Acreage purchased from 5.00 to 6.50 3,270.67 acres 

Acreage purchased over 6.50 90.77 acres 

Total Acreage Purchased 159,003.55 

Acreage of Lands Purchased and Donated: 

Total acreage purchased 159,003.55 

Total acreage donated 24,271.64 

Total 183,275.19 



32 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

From the above it will be noted that the donations 
of land comprise over 13^ per cent of the total 
acreage of all lands acquired. 

Keforestation Fund 

Congress in 1906 granted to Wisconsin 20,000 acres 
of land as an addition to the state forest reserve and 
the act provided that the scattering and agricultural 
land can be sold, but that all income from the lands 
can only be used for reforesting the forest reserve. 
Out of the "Government "Reforestation Fund" is 
being paid the cost of the reforestation work in Wis- 
consin, and there now is a balance of $16,000, which 
will pay for the work for several years, and there will 
be more income from the same source in the future. 

CoikH t ions of Gifts 

The above act of (Congress provides that if the 
forestry work is ever abandoned in Wisconsin the 
state must return lo the Federal government the 
balance of the 20,000 acres remaining unsold, and 
must also refund to the government all moneys re- 
ceived under the grant and not used in reforestation 
and the interest which has accrued on the fund. 
This would mean that at the present time we would 
lose some 14,000 acres of land and would have to pay 
back to the government approximately $15,000. 

The gift of land from the Nebagamon Lumber 
Company and also the gift of 637 islands from the 
government have the same conditions attached, 
namely, that they must be returned to the donor in 
case the state gives up its forestry work. 

Therefore, as will be seen from this statement, 
Wisconsin would lose by abandoning its forestry 
work all donations or $347,538.00. 

The total appropriations for administrative pur- 
poses have been $173,345.00; the purchases of forest 
reserve lands amounting to 159,000 acres at an 
average price per acre of $3.32 makes a total of 
approximately $528,000.00; all of which makes a 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 33 

total expenditure of approximately $700,000.00. De- 
ducting therefrom the value of donations, $347,- 
000.00, leaves a total investment of about $353,- 
000.00. 

To off-set this the State owns 327,450 acres of 
land and 637 islands donated by the National Gov- 
ernment, and in addition, the value of all forestry 
improvements. Certainly, the investment to date 
has proved most satisfactory. 

Since the large purchases by the State during the 
last few years the claim has been made that a great 
part of the lands so acquired for forestry purposes 
are good agricultural lands, some even placing the 
proportion as high as seventy or eighty per cent. 
If this be true, certainly the investment has been 
a good one, the average price which the State has 
paid being only $3.32 per acre. It is well known 
that lands of agricultural worth cannot be purchased 
in Northern Wisconsin at even double that figure, so 
certainly the State has lost nothing on account of 
these purchases, but must have made a good invest- 
ment. 



J4 REPORT OP' SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



REPORT AND FINDINGS OF COMMITTEE 

Two questions upon which the Committee were to 
report to the 1915 session of the Legislature are pre- 
sented in the law creating it: First, what areas of 
hind now held as forest reserve and those parts pro- 
posed to l)e included within such reserve within the 
counties of Forest, Iron, Oneida, Price and Vilas 
are better adapted to agricultural than to forestry 
purposes. Second, whether the best interests of all 
persons concerned, especially the taxpayers of the 
State, will not be better promoted by devoting State 
lands to other than reforestation purposes. 

Having this in view the Committee have deemed 
it one of their duties to make a general study of the 
subject of forestry and to submit their views upon 
this subject. To many this will seem strange when 
all of the leading countries of the world and nearly 
all of the older states of the Union — in fact, all of 
those in the northeastern part of our country — have 
been for many years and are now engaged in the re- 
forestation of those lands located within their bor- 
ders which are not suited to agriculture. We cannot 
believe it necessary that the people of Wisconsin be 
shown that the general policy or idea of forestry is 
sound and a success commercially. 

Mr. Simon B. Elliott, member of the Pennsyl- 
vania Forestry Reservation Commission, and author 
of "The Important Timber Trees of the United 
States," in the latter work, says: "All will agree that 
lands suitable for agriculture should be reserved for 
that purpose; but it is equally true that land not so 
suited, and which has borne a crop of trees, can and 
should once more be devoted to that use; and there 
is a large area of that kind of land in this country." 

He also added in an interview: 

"It is not good policy to permit attempts to be 
made to induce settlers, with a view to home-mak- 
ing, to go on lands not suited to agriculture. Aside 
from the moral feature involved there inevitably 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 35 

comes failure and the desertion of such regions, all 
tending to the injury and discredit of the State. 
No State has ever profited by attempts to induce 
settlers to go on land for the purpose of home-mak- 
ing where the region is not adapted to profitable 
agriculture. To avoid this the State would best 
secure such land and, where practicable, devote it to 
tree growing, thus converting what otherwise would 
be practically a barren waste into a productive one." 

The only question pertinent to this matter would 
seem to be whether any of the lands within the pro- 
posed forest reserve can be better and more profit- 
ably used for the benefit of the people of the State 
by planting to trees and by encouraging the growth 
of the natural reproduction thereon. 

Oftentimes in discussing the general forestry ques- 
tion with the average citizen he is prone to say, 
"Yes, such conditions might apply to Germany; 
such conditions might apply to the mountainous 
regions of Pennsylvania or New York; such condi- 
tions might apply to the Southern States where the 
growing season is long; but in Northern Wisconsin where 
the growing season is short, the lands and conditions 
are different — -forestry cannot be carried on success- 
fully." Authorities on the subject, however, claim 
an entirely different state of affairs. Wisconsin con- 
ditions are ideal for the growing of trees. We do 
not labor under the handicap of the European for- 
ests which have been restored and made productive. 
And we have one great advantage over them; we 
are not limited to a few inferior kinds or species of 
trees. Wisconsin can grow white and norway pine, 
and these are recognized as the most productive and 
most profitable trees of forest growth. 

When we speak of reforestation we have in mind 
both the natural reproduction and the artificial 
planting or growing of trees. In the first, nature is 
simply encouraged in her effort to re-establish the 
native species of timber. This is too well known to 
need much explanation. By the establishment of a 
forestry protection system, consisting of foresters, 



36 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

with forest rangers, telephone lines, lookout towers, 
fire lines and roads, the young and growing timber is 
protected from the onslaughts and ravages of fire. 

By artificial reforestation we mean the growing of 
the young trees in the nurseries, the transplanting of 
the same on the cut-over lands and their protection 
by the methods heretofore mentioned. 

That artificial reforestation will become a source of 
profit to the State has been proven beyond doubt, 
not only in such countries as Germany, the Scandi- 
navian Peninsula, Denmark and France, but also by 
experimental plantations carried on in the United 
States. The Germans claim an average annual net 
revenue of $3.50 per acre from their planted forests. 
There can be no question of ultimate profit if prop- 
erly managed for the manifest reason that by the 
time a forest planted now becomes mature, our 
present naturally grown ones will have become so 
exhausted that the market price of all forest products 
must be that of the cost of growing trees from the 
seed plus a fair proht, just as the price of wheat, 
corn or any other product of the soil is and must be 
that of its cost with reasonable proiit added. De- 
mand and supply will regulate price here as well as 
elsewhere. 

The Alonaghan plantations near Mount Alto in 
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, afforded one of the 
best opportunities for the Committee to see results 
obtained from the planting of white pine. This 
plantation was made on an old cultivated field. 
The best results cannot be obtained from such 
planting. Foresters all agree that where there is a 
growth of other varieties for protection such as 
aspen, pin cherry and the like, the pine growth is 
much more sturdy. This planting was made in 
April, 1902, for experiment only. The young trees 
were two years old when set out, at a distance of 
four feet. A photograph taken in 1904, two years 
after planting, shows them less than six inches in 
height. A later photograph, taken in December, 
1906, shows a maximum height of 31.50 inches with 



i-Pa 



[.^^''W^"i< 




*^^^w#fi#^ii^ 





REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 37 

practically every tree growing. Measurements were 
made in October, 19()(), and prior thereto which show 
the following facts: Number of trees measured, 
3,558. Average growth in the year 1906, inches 
12.085; average growth in the year 1905, inches 6.9; 
average growth in the year 1904, inches 5.8; average 
total height year 1906, inches 33.5. 

At the time of the Committee's visit in August, 
1914, the average height of these trees was about 
twelve feet and the highest exceeded fifteen feet. 
Photographs are shown herein of this plantation in 
1904, 1906, 1912 and 1914. 

While many other plantings of white and norway 
pine equally as promising were visited by the Com- 
mittee, we believe them to be the best illustration of 
what can be expected along these lines because we 
were able to secure photographs of them at various 
stages of their growth. 

Figures in the ofiice of the State Forester show 
that the cost of planting in Wisconsin has averaged 
$4.98 per acre while members of the Pennsylvania 
Forestry Commission stated that it had cost them 
about $9 per acre. Wisconsin plantings have been 
made with about a thousand trees to the acre while 
the Pennsylvania foresters have used almost double 
this amount. A further item of cost in the latter 
State is by reason of the added expense of growing 
nursery stock. On the heavy soils where their 
nurseries are located the planting, care, and cultiva- 
tion of the seedlings is much more difficult and ex- 
pensive, and the setting out of the. trees in the for- 
ests on the heavier soils makes necessary a great 
deal more work. 

Another thing of interest in connection with this is 
that the work now being done and which it will be 
possible to do in the next few years with just the 
two Wisconsin nurseries — the one at Big Trout Lake, 
the other at Tomahawk Lake — in the way of artifi- 
cial reforestation is being paid for by. the Federal 
Government and, therefore, imposes no burden on 
the people of Wisconsin. The Government, in mak- 



38 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

ing its grant of 20,000 acres provided that the money 
received from the sale of scattering- lands or from the 
sale of timber, or from, in fact, any source connected 
with the handling of the said gift, could be used only 
for reforesting the permanent forest reserve— that is, 
in the up-keep of the nurseries and the cost of plant- 
ing. At the present time, as has been stated, the 
nurseries are turning out approximately one million 
trees per year. This is suflicient to plant about one 
thousand acres. At a cost of $4.98 per acre, which 
includes the cost of the seed, cost of raising the 
plants, and cost of transplanting, this means a total 
expenditure of about $5,000 a year. The depart- 
ment now has on hand in this Federal fund over 
$16,000, sufficient to carry on the work and take care 
of the out-put from the nurseries for three years, and 
it is stated that by that time considerably more than 
this amount will again be in their hands. So, the 
cost of artificial reforestation in Wisconsin will be 
borne by the Federal government for many years to 
come, and as much as a thousand acres a year can 
be planted, making the only cost of such work to 
the people of the State their initial investment in 
accjuiring the land and the expense of fire protection. 

Even on the very poorest lands in Connecticut, 
light sandy soil which has been farmed for genera- 
lions, both the white and norway pine plantings wxre 
doing well. This was true everywhere, even on the 
very poorest soils, and from their observations the 
Committee is well satisfied that there is no reason 
for attempting to plant scotch or western yellow pine 
any more than for experimentation on the lands in 
the forest reserve. White and norway pine will 
grow on any of it. 

In the cut-over territory in the forest reserve 
cjuicker and cheaper results can be had by the en- 
couragement of natural second growth. By the arti- 
ficial planting under the improved methods of to- 
day no inconsiderable areas can be replanted with 
white .and norway pine which in the end will be 
profitable to the people of the State and serve as 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 39 

an encouragement to the owners of private lands 
and educate them so that they will become inter- 
ested in the replanting of their lands. In the East- 
ern States the demand is already taking the output 
of the State nurseries, and in New York the Fores- 
try Department complain because they have too 
little left for the replanting of their own lands. 
Millions of small trees are now being purchased 
from their nurseries and planted upon private es- 
tates. From 1908 to 1913 their total sales aggre- 
gated 12,014,635 trees, sufTicient to reforest approxi- 
mately 12,000 acres. 

This work is only in its infancy. Each year as 
the people become educated as to the returns which 
may be expected from such work the demand will 
increase and it will require hundreds of acres of 
nursery beds to keep up with the advancement. 

Already demands have been made upon the 
Wisconsin Forestry Board for nursery stock. The 
Dupont Powder Co., operating in Bayfield county, 
attempted to procure white and norway transplants 
for the replanting of their cut-over lands. On account 
of our output of only one million trees for 1914 and 
by reason of the necessity for planting State hold- 
ings, this request was refused. 

There is no intention on the part of the State 
Board of Forestry of Wisconsin, or, in fact, of the 
Forestry Departments of any of the States, to enter 
into competition with commercial nurseries. At 
the present time, however, these nurseries have been 
unable to supply the millions of trees required for 
private planting, but as soon as they are able to 
do so and furnish the stock at a reasonable price, 
the States will be glad enough to retire from this side 
of the work and devote their planting stock to 
reforesting State lands. The commercial nurseries 
up to date have only been able to keep up with 
the demand for the ornamental stock, whereas in 
Germany they can supply planting stock by the 
tens of millions. It will only be a few years when 
private individuals in Wisconsin will take up this 



40 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

work and many thousands of acres of our cut-over 
lands, unprofitable for agriculture, will be devoted 
to the growth of pine. Nothing will so stimulate 
and encourage this interprise as the example the 
State Forestry Board expects to set forth in plant- 
ing State lands. In the last few years a number 
of private owners have expressed it- desire to reforest 
their lands — large holders who have wailed until 
the soil survey of their district was completed, so 
they would know upon expert advice which lands 
were non-agricultural. 

In a way, the task given this Committee to de- 
cide which of these lands are best adapted to agri- 
cultural use is an impossible one. The only way 
this can be determined in detail is by a soil survey 
and a thorough cruising of these lands, forty by 
forty, by competent judges of farm lands. This 
would demand many months of hard labor and could 
not be undertaken by the members of this Com- 
mittee. All we could do was lo« visit as much of 
the territory as possible, getting a general idea as 
to whether any of the lands were unfit for farming 
and whether the agricultural development of Wis- 
consin might be hindered by the taking of some of 
these lands from the market' and by their use for 
reforestation purposes. 

The question as to just what lands are available 
for reforestation is a debatable one. It is hard in 
this day and age to specify what are agricultural 
and what are non-agricultural lands. In the wild 
unsettled areas of Northern Wisconsin one is liable 
to be greatly deceived, and while at this time he 
might say that some of the lands were non-agri- 
cultural, or might better say not profitable from an 
agricultural standpoint, a few years may work a 
mighty change — a wonderful change — and the demand 
be such that practically all of these lands would 
be required for agricultural purposes. 

Nevertheless, the lesson as learned in some of 
our sister States of the East may be a guide to us 
in this. In the Blue Mountains of Potter Countv, 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 41 

Pennsylvania, Wisconsin's famous violinist, Olc 
Bull, conceived the idea of establishing a colony 
of Norwegian immigrants. He attempted to pur- 
chase several thousand acres, went so far as to build 
himself a castle, and many of the families moved 
upon the land with the intention of carving out 
farmhomes. True, on account of a defect in title he 
became discouraged and gave up the idea. But 
now, after • fifty-two years, these lands are still 
unoccupied and vacant with no prospect whatever 
of their ever being used for farming. The soil in 
the valleys is a rich red and yellow shale; the cli- 
mate much the same as in the Northern part of 
Wisconsin, and still, in thickly settled Pennsyl- 
vania this land is really of less value and can be 
purchased at a lower price than some of the poorest 
cut-over lands in our State. 

During the last half dozen years the State of 
Pennsylvania has started a forest reserve in this 
county, bought up these lands at prices under $5 
per acre and is now replanting them. While this 
is a mountainous region, there is much of the land 
in the broad valleys which could be profitably used 
for farming if there was a demand for it. It has 
stood for many years since the removal of the tim- 
ber, blackened and barren. Now, by artificial 
planting and the protection of the natural growth 
Pennsylvania expects to make it bear timber with 
profit to the commonwealth. 

The soil in this county is heavier than anything 
in our proposed forest reserve, and by reason of 
that they cannot expect as good results from the 
natural second growth of pine. On account of the 
heavy nature of the soil the pine seed has no op- 
portunity to germinate and the hardwoods get such 
a start that only in a few places is there any show- 
ing of pine whatsoever. 

This condition does not apply in Warren county. 
New York. In the territory adjacent to Chester- 
town where the soil is of a light sandy character, 
which soil largely predominates in all parts of the 



42 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

Adirondack Forest Reserve, the natural reprodcu- 
tion of white pine is wonderful. Here vast areas 
have reforested themselves with as fine a growth 
as ever stood on these lands. 

If Wisconsin is to continue its Forestry work and 
have a forest reserve, the question of its location 
is first lo be considered. There are millions of 
acres of undeveloped land in Northern Wisconsin. 
Just what percentage of these will ultimately be 
used for agricultural purposes cannot at this time 
be determined. Many things must be taken into 
consideration in determining this. Even the very 
poorest of lands if located adjacent to good tillable 
soil can be profitably used for grazing and pastur- 
age, but where there are large areas of poor or un- 
profitable agricultural lands it would seem that these 
might best be used for forestry. 

In the lands held by the State there are, of course, 
some good agricultural lands. Generally speaking, 
however, the average State holding does not com- 
pare favorably with the land that is held by specu- 
lators or by those who are engaged in farming. In- 
variably, in their investigations, the members of 
the Committee found the State lands about the 
poorest in the locality inspected. We believe the 
report of the soils survey now being made will bear 
out the opinion of the Committee in this regard. 
The Forestry Department has refused to make a num- 
ber of purchases by reason of the agricultural value 
of the lands. In fact, they have had several farms 
offered at very low prices. So it is not altogether 
an accident that the State owns the poorer lands. 
Naturally, the better lands have gone into the hands 
of the actual settler more rapidly and the owners 
have not been so anxious to dispose of them at 
low prices. 

The eye of the State and Nation for many years 
has been turned to that area in the Northeastern 
part of the State situated in the counties of Forest, 
Iron, Price, Oneida and Vilas, having in view its 
adaptation to forestry purposes. All the State 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 43 

and National soil surveys for many years have 
shown a considerable area of light sandy soil of 
inferior agricultural quality in this district. While 
there are other places in Wisconsin with soil of this 
nature which could, no doubt, be better used for 
forestry than for farming, if we are to have a forest 
reserve at all the selection in a general way has 
been well made. 

There is no section of the state where so large 
an area of sparsely settled lands can be found. 
The State Forester's records show that in a district 
equal to twenty-two townships within the reserve, an 
area of five hundred square miles, there are now 
but twenty-one farmer settlers. And this report 
from the office of the State Forester the Committee 
found upon investigation to be true; that while 
there were other people living within this district, 
they were either resorters, shackers, or trappers — 
at least, not making their living at farming. 

Certain it is, that in carrying on the work of 
reforestation by the encouragement and protection 
of the natural second growth, in order to make it 
profitable the land must be held in considerable 
areas by reason of the expense of maintaining the 
roads, fire lines, telephone system, and other things 
necessary to the conduct of the work. Still, if the 
poorer lands in some of the better settled portions 
which are surrounded by farms and improved lands 
could be used for this purpose, the aid of the set- 
tler in keeping back the fires and protecting the tim- 
ber would be of no little help. For that reason it 
would seem that the poorer lands in all parts of 
Wisconsin which will grow white and norway pine 
should be acquired for this purpose and every effort 
made to have them replanted to trees, whether in 
the hands of the State or of private owners. 

Future commercial interests of the State may de- 
mand its extension into other sections. 

While climatic conditions may be discouraging to 
settlement— a hindrance in growing certain crops — 
we do not consider them germane to the question 



44 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

here submitted. On the better lands of this terri- 
tory farming can be engaged in with profit so that 
such conditions simply limit the Held of operation 
and confine the farmer to the growth of particular 
crops, yet with the opportunity for fairly good re- 
turns. 

In their investigation the Committee saw many 
different kinds of land; some of the very lightest 
sand; some sandy loam; and some clay loam. 
They also found large areas which were very rough, 
covered with gravel, stone and huge boulders, yet 
anyone who would condemn all the lands in the pro- 
posed forest reserve by reason of these observations 
would be unfair to this section of the Stale. Never- 
theless, there are large areas — in fact, a major por- 
tion of the lands which the Committee have had 
an opportunity to investigate — which they believe 
to be better adapted to forestry than to farming. 
Most of these lands will not be called into use by 
tillers of the soil for many years to come. 

There can be no good reason why, if these lands 
are used by the Forestry Department, it will in 
any way interfere with the agricultural development 
of Northern Wisconsin. Neither is there any reason 
why the settlement of the good agricultural lands 
should interfere with the forestry policy. There 
is ample room for both, and the development of 
the one should but assist in the development of 
the other. Wherever forestry is being carried on, 
in other States or in other countries, it is conducted 
hand in hand with the agricultural advancement. 
The farmers of Pennsylvania are ardent supporters 
of the Forestry Commission. 

There should be no dispute between those inter- 
ested in the general welfare of Northern Wisconsin, 
whether interested in making it a rich agricultural 
region or interested in the reforesation of its poorer 
soils and rough lands such as cannot be profitably 
used for farming. Agricultural writers, even those 
who are interested in the agricultural development 
say that twenty-fiv^ per cent of all the lands in 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 45 

the Northern half of the State are unsuitable for 
the growing of crops. If there are, as is said, 
13,000,000 acres in the Northern part of the State 
still undeveloped, and twenty-five per cent of it 
is non-agricultural, then we have three and one 
quarter millions of acres upon part of which, at 
least, the State can conduct this work. 

Large areas are covered with swamp, some of 
which cannot even be used for tree planting, while 
others naturally reproduce themselves with such 
species as tamarack and spruce. Certainly so large 
an area as this should satisfy the most ardent ad- 
vocate of silva-culture, yet it shows that a few 
hundred thousands of acres devoted thereto will 
create no dearth of lands left to farm. 

Why anyone should feel that the statement that 
twenty-five per cent of the lands of any section of 
the State are non-prolitable for agriculture is detri- 
mental to its best interests is inconceivable. \Ve have 
but to turn to Germany with her 208,000 square 
miles to find that 54,000, an amount equal to al- 
most the total area of the State of Wisconsin, is 
in forests. Certainly in a country which has been 
developed to almost the last degree, the fact that 
one-fourth of its area is in forests does not detract 
from its standing as a nation and an example to 
others in intense development. 

There arc thousands of acres of land in Northern 
Wisconsin which, on account of the poor character 
of the soil and its rough nature, will not be used 
for farming either in this generation or several to 
come. This can be said without detracting from the 
agricultural possibilities of the section in which 
they are located. 

There is no section in the State where an attempt 
at reforestation can show as rapid results and quick 
illustration of its possibilities as the beautiful lake 
region of Northeastern Wisconsin. Most of the soil 
is of a light sandy nature. On this a rapid natural 
reproduction may be expected. There are now large 
areas where beautiful young growths of white and 



46 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

norway pine are springing up. If these can be kept 
free from fire and protected from the other natural 
ravages of the elements it will not be many years 
before the covetous eye of the woodsman will 
again turn to this district. It is well known that 
in a few years these little stands of natural repro- 
duction will reseed the other areas. This is especi- 
ally true on the light sandy soils where the w^hite 
and norway pine seed have such a splendid oppor- 
tunity to germinate. Where some of the smaller 
pine were left by the loggers, they have scattered 
seed over large areas. Where fire has not reached 
some of the growths are beautiful. A few years of 
fire protection and the results will be worth while. 

In addition, too, this territory was logged by rail. 
Miles and miles of railroad grade have been con- 
structed through the territory. These can be quickly 
converted into most excellent roads and fire lines. 
There is no place where a cheaper system of fire 
protection can be inaugurated. 

Furthermore by reason of the hundreds of lakes 
the opportunity for Ihe construction of fire lines 
between them, a most unusual opportunity is afforded 
in the blocking out of forest areas and the confining 
of fires to limited districts. 

The system of protection from forest fires in Wis- 
consin is not new or untried. The methods are those 
found to be most effective by National and State 
organizations. The Western Forestry Conserva- 
tion Association, the States of New York, Pennsyl- 
vania and Minnesota, and the National government 
protect their standing timber by the same methods. 
It has proven successful and is in operation by 
many private associations holding timber land. 
Wisconsin's system was established in 1911 and no 
areas of any extent in the district covered have been 
burned. The largest area under immediate super- 
vision and protection which has been burned over 
since this system of protection was inaugurated 
does not exceed ten acres. 

The forestry holdings now consist of 327,450 acres 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 47 

to which should be added, however, the acreage of 
637 islands donated by the National government 
on which surveys have not been fully completed. 
The holdings in the proposed permanent reserve 
are as follows: 

Forest County 24,281 

Iron County 27,102 

Oneida County 48,488 

Price County 5,657 

Vilas County 128,010 

Making a total within the proposed forest reserve 
of 186,537 acres exclusive of the islands. In addi- 
tion to this there are 5,086 acres in the Brule River 
Reserve and 47,003 acres of Indian Reservation lands, 
which make a total of 238,627 acres of lands 
which the Forestry Board now propose to hold for 
permanent forestry purposes. That is, these lands 
are located within the area where the future work 
is proposed to be conducted. 

Whatever of these lands may be of agricultural 
value lying in sufTicient tracts to warrant settle- 
ment will be placed upon the market for sale to 
actual settlers. 

If it were certain that the holdings outside of 
the State lands were to be used by actual settlers, 
the whole problem would be easy of solution. There 
would be no real reason for blocking up State lands. 
There would be no danger from fire^in fact, the 
settlers would assist in protecting the timber growth. 

The great danger lies in the large private holdings 
of unimproved lands which are not protected and 
where the opportunity is given for fires to originate 
by the lack of an adequate protective system. 

The State owns 88,822.49 acres of land in the 
following counties outside of the proposed permanent 
forest reserve area. The holding in each county is 
herewith given. 



48 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

Acres 

Ashland 3,966.20 

Baylield 1,188.60 

Burnett 3,649.21 

Douglas 1,797.25 

Florence 3,639.16 

Forest j _ , 11,460.60 

Iron 1,639.07 

Langlade 1,058.42 

• Lincoln 1,041.32 

Marinette 4,494.21 

Oneida 23, 173.38 

Polk 846.40 

Price 12,450.51 

Rusk 2,215.87 

Sawyer 11,213.22 

Vilas ._ : 2, 360. 84 

Washburn 2,628.23 

TOTAL 88,822.49 

These lands are scattering, some of them of agri- 
cultural value, and so located that it is recommended 
that they be sold and the proceeds applied to the 
purchase of lands in the proposed permanent reserve. 

The hrst work should be confined to this district. 

No matter where the forest reserve is located, the 
same cry of opposition would go up. The cjuestion 
is, "Are we to have a forest reserve at all?" If so, 
it must be somewhere. And no tract can be found 
that is more suitable than the one selected. 

There should be no misunderstanding, however. 
There is no intention when we say that the present 
work should be confined to this proposed area, to 
take all of the lands therein. Every safeguard 
should be provided so that the agricultural lands 
shall be devoted to that use and only those unprofi- 
table for farming used for forestry. The intention 
is simply to limit the field of operation for the reason 
that cfuicker and better results will follow, there 
being no desire to acquire lands of even possible 
agricultural worth. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 49 

The plan has been proposed that the State have 
small forest reserves in several counties. This plan 
would not be practicable. Supervision would be 
expensive; fire protection would be expensive; and 
either more nurseries would have to be established, 
the expense of maintaining them being correspond- 
ingly greater, or plants would have to be transported 
and planting crews moved from point to point. The 
whole expense would be increased, and the main 
object of forest reserves would be defeated if they 
were not located on the headwaters of the important 
rivers. 

The present holdings are ample upon which to 
demonstrate what Wisconsin can accomplish in this 
w^ork. The claim is made that if these lands are not 
fit for agricultural purposes the State cannot lose by 
reason of delaying their purchase; that certainly they 
will not increase in value unless they have some 
agricultural worth. This however, is not true. This 
beautiful lake region is bound to become the mecca 
for sportsmen, health seekers and resorters. The 
lake frontages are now eagerly sought, and much of 
the opposition to the present forestry policy is occas- 
ioned by the demand for sites upon these beautiful 
bodies of water. This alone is bound to increase the 
value of these lands. 

Another thing that will add to their value is the 
growth of timber upon them. While the modern 
lumberman scoffs at the idea that there is any value 
in the timber that has been left, it will only take a 
few years to demonstrate otherwise. Looking back 
over the last few years of lumbering one finds that 
species of timber considered practically valueless 
twenty-five years ago are now in great demand and 
that prices for the so-called inferior grades of all 
timber have increased while the better grades have 
no more than held their own. The demand for pulp- 
wood, ties and other products of a like nature will 
make all of the growing timber in this district of 
inestimable value; so that the Forestry Board's 
opportunity for purchasing lands is now at its very 



^0 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

best. It would be a mistake, however, to attempt to 
carry on this work over too large an area with the 
funds at hand. The next few years will demonstrate 
its practicability. Then the people of Wisconsin will 
willingly contribute more money toward the purchase 
of lands and more towards the protection and plant- 
ing of trees. 

The claim is oftentimes made that it is too late 
to start forestry in Wisconsin; that this work should 
have been done while the State still owned or could 
have purchased some of the virgin and growing 
timber. An investigation will prove that this is 
not true, thai wherever forestry is being carried on 
it consists in the protection of the natural repro- 
duction of timber and of artificial planting. An 
exception to this, however, is in the work being 
conducted by the National government where the 
field of operation is confined to large holdings of 
virgin timber. In all of our Eastern States and in 
the foreign countries this is not the case. 

The State is the owner within the proposed 
permanent forest reserve of approximately 50,000 
acres of virgin timber. None of this timber should 
be sold unless mature or there is real demand for 
the land for agricultural purposes. The State has 
some large bodies of timber in Forest County near 
the railroad. If these are offered for sale it should 
only be in such a way as will secure the agricultural 
development of the land itself. 

Twenty years ago lumbermen made a successful 
plea to have the State Park lands in Iron and Vilas 
Counties put on the market so that the lands could 
be put on the tax roll and the country would de- 
velop. The lands were offered for sale, the lumber- 
men getting the timber, but the country did not 
profit thereby in the way of development. 

In the light of history and experience we believe 
these timbcrlands should be conserved. 

The more recent investigations tend to substan- 
tiate the claim that in order to secure a uniform 
stream flow and the best results from our vast 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 51 

walerpowers, the headwaters of our rivers should be 
protected with a forest growth. The following ex- 
tract from Page 30 of the report of the "U. S. Geo- 
logical Survey, No. 13," by Hon. George Otis Smith, 
Director, shows the result of recent investigation: 
"The results of the Burnt Brook-Shoal Pond Brook 
studies are held to show that throughout the White 
Mountains the removal of forest growth must be 
expected to decrease the natural steadiness of de- 
pendent streams during the spring months at least. 
The foregoing conclusion forms a strong basis for 
arguing the desirability of painstaking methods of 
administration in respect to forest lands in the 
White Mountain region. Deforestation followed by 
fires as in the Burnt Brook basin results in condi- 
tions unfavorable to natural spring storage because 
conducive to rapid snow melting and stream run-off. 
Control of White Mountain lands that would reduce 
fires to a minimum and promote normal refore- 
station must result in a great inprovement over 
present tendencies and this improvement in forest 
cover can logically be expected to favorably affect 
stream regulation to the extent quantitatively indi- 
cated in the comparison of the forested Shoal Pond 
Brook with the deforested Burnt Brook." 

In the mountainous countries of Europe some 
governments do not allow private land owners to 
cut timber on watersheds, except under strict regu- 
lations, and the land must be reforested within a 
prescribed period. 

Under the Weeks law which provided for the 
purchase of the Appalachian-White Mountain forest 
reserve, no lands can be purchased until the U. S. 
Geological Survey has certified that the presence of 
forests upon such lands will affect the stream flow. 
The Geological Survey made a careful examination 
of two areas in the White mountains and compared 
conditions where there \vas forest cover and where 
the forest had been removed. They found that on 
the cut-over areas the snow began to disappear in 
patches, first from the lower elevation and then 



52 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

extending back to the drainage lines. In the forest, 
however, the disappearance of the snow was uniform 
and, with the exception of small cut-over or exposed 
areas, the depth remained quite uniform. In a 
report of the examination, it is stated that it "es- 
tablishes the general conclusion that a direct rela- 
tion exists between forest cover and stream regula- 
tion. The results. . . are held to show that through- 
out the W'hite mountains the removal of forest 
growth must be expected to decrease the natural 
steadiness of dependent streams during the spring 
months at least . . . Deforestation followed by fires 
. . . results in conditions unfavorable to natural 
spring storage because conducive to rapid snow 
melting and stream run-off." 

The securing of conditions favorable to uniform 
stream flow is of the highest importance in Wis- 
consin because this state has so many rivers and so 
much water i)ower. The state has no coal, and 
its water i)owers are the great source of energy for 
manufacturing, healing, lighting and transporting. 
The highest usefulness of the water powers is de- 
pendent on regularity of stream flow. Floods in 
the spring and low water in the summer and fall 
are injurious. Reforestation on the headwaters of 
the rivers and the storage of excess water in natural 
and artificial reservoirs will result in great benefits 
to the public. 

It has been claimed by the opponents of forestry 
that, because the forest reserve in Wisconsin was in 
a comparatively level country, the effects of de- 
forestation would not be as serious as in a mountain- 
ous country. This is unquestionably true as far as 
erosion is concerned, but the rapidity with which 
snow will melt on cut-over lands is the same, and 
this is the chief point to be considered in protecting 
the headwaters of our rivers in Wisconsin. 

This is but another reason for the retention of the 
present State forest lands. They are located at the 
headwaters of our most important rivers. Wiscon- 
sin, in addition to the recognized reasons for main- 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 53 

taining a forest reserve, namely, to secure a future 
supply of timber and regulate the How of streams, 
has a beautiful natural lake and park region, already 
patronized by thousands of people, to preserve for 
posterity. 

We recommend the retention by the State of its 
holdings in the proposed forest reserve area; and 
further recommend the sale of all scattering holdings 
outside thereof. We consider it advisable that future 
purchases be limited to the said area and as nearly as 
possible to lands not now suited to agriculture. Upon 
the sale of the good agricultural lands the money 
should be reinvested in non-agricultural lands. 

In acquiring lands in the future, which must be 
bought in large tracts in order to get them at a 
low price, the Forestry Board will obtain many 
acres of good farm lands. This cannot work harm 
in the settlement of the community if a proper 
method of disposing of them to actual settlers shall 
be found. In fact, one of the great hindrances to 
the settlement of all of Northern Wisconsin is the 
high price and hard conditions under which the 
actual settler purchases. Some plan must be de- 
vised by which these agricultural lands can be 
placed upon the market in such a way that the 
actual settler may be able to secure them at some- 
where near the price now^ paid by the State. That 
settlers should be obliged to pay ten and hfteen 
dollars when lands equally as good can be purchased 
by the State in large tracts at as low an average as 
$3.32 an acre is unreasonable. If farmers in some 
of our older communities could buy farm lands in 
Northern Wisconsin for $4 an acre on long-time 
payments at a low rate of interest the increase in 
settlement would be manyfold. Some limitation, 
however, must be put upon the sales to be made 
by the State Board of Forestry and such conditions 
annexed that only the actual settler can buy these 
lands; otherwise, they will simply get back into the 
hands of speculators and the price will be the same 
as for which other lands are now held. 



54 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

It is admitted that the development of Northern 
Wisconsin should be stimulated and every effort 
made to encourage settlement. It takes persistent 
advertising and a large amount of money and work 
to accomplish this. A feasible plan would be for 
the Forestry Board working in cooperation with the 
soil survey to release lands of agricultural value 
which are in sufficiently large tracts so that a com- 
munity can be established and to place these upon 
the market for sale to actual settlers. Then the 
Forestry Board should list all such tracts with the 
State Board of Immigration or some like organiza- 
tion so that they could advise prospective settlers 
of these tracts of agricultural lands. The forestry 
policy to date has not hindered this development 
by taking lands from the market. Of 400 acres of 
the best lands held by the State in Oneida County 
and offered for sale since September, 1912, at from 
18.00 to $10.00 per acre, none have been purchased. 
This price was fixed upon these lands for the reason 
that it was believed to be about their actual cash 
value. It could not be expected that the State 
should pick from all of its lands these few hundred 
acres classed as agricultural and offer them at as 
low a price as the average price paid in all of their 
purchases. 

In order that the development of Northern Wis- 
consin be not interfered with we suggest and will 
later offer to the Legislature a bill which provides 
for the sale of all agricultural lands where located in 
sufficiently large tracts in the forest reserve; these 
lands to be sold to actual settlers in amounts not 
to exceed one hundred and sixty acres, upon prac- 
tically the same terms as those now offered and 
available under the United States Homestead Law. 
Such a price as will attract settlers to purchase 
these lands should be fixed and every effort made 
to get them into the hands of farmers. This should 
not be done unless a settlement large enough to 
support a school district and carry on its own affairs 
may be expected. Where there are tracts of 1,000 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 55 

acres or more of good farm lands which will accom- 
modate twelve families and upwards, they might 
well be opened to settlement. Where communities 
already exist smaller areas within a reasonable dis- 
tance of any of them should be offered for sale by 
the State. Then the danger of isolating settlers 
would be avoided and they would not be deprived 
of the advantages of community life, schools, roads, 
churches, accessible markets, etc. We believe, how- 
ever, that such settlements should be directed so 
far as possible toward communities already establish- 
ed until the lands so available are disposed of. 

We don't want to be understood as advising that 
the State make further purchases of agricultural 
lands with the idea of disposing of them upon such 
terms to the settler, other than those which may be 
unavoidably obtained in the purchase of large tracts. 
W^e feel that the competition which would be caused 
thereby might be injurious to private interests. 
This plan is recommended solely for the purpose 
of placing agricultural lands in the hands of actual 
settlers and encouraging the development of North- 
eastern Wisconsin — making provision so that the 
forestry policy will be a help and not a hindrance. 

We feel that every effort should be made to retain 
for the use of the people of the State as much of 
the lake frontage as possible and that in no event 
should the State dispose of more than fifty per 
cent of such lake frontage, meaning thereby that 
the State should itself retain this percentage on the 
shore of each lake. 

Where such lands adjoin the lakes, we advise the 
retention of 500 feet in depth of frontage upon said 
shores to be held by the State for forestry purposes 
and such other use as the Forestry Board may re- 
commend. W'e don't believe, however, that any 
sales of lake frontage should be made except where 
the same is classified as good agricultural land and 
is within the districts which have been opened for 
settlement. 

In the vicinity of the permanent forest reserve 



56 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

area there are a good many public summer resorts, 
the main attraction of which has been the wildness 
of the surroundings, with the • attendant supply of 
fish and game. This attraction has been growing 
steadily less because of the extensive lumbering 
operations and the accompanying forest fires. 

The establishment of the forest reserve has in- 
sured the permanent attractiveness of this region 
for public recreation purposes, and in time it will 
even increase the beauty and desirability of the re- 
gion and result in a largely increased summer resort 
business. The money expended by tourists will go 
to resort owners, stage drivers, guides, boat liveries, 
dealers in food supplies, and to the railroads. 

There are already 91 public resorts in the forest 
reserve region, with 639 buildings. These can ac- 
commodate 4,372 guests at one time, and an in- 
vestigation has shown that the number of guests 
accommodated in a year is approximately 13,131 
and the actual gross receipts in a year are $356,025. 
The hotels in the small towns within the forest 
reserve area, which get a large share of their busi- 
ness from the summer tourists, together with the 
livery stables and boat liveries, report a gross an- 
nual business of $59,057. It is probably safe to 
estimate that 50% of this amount, or $29,537, is 
paid by summer tourists. 

There are hundreds of lakes within the forest 
reserve area, and when these and the forests are 
protected, with consequent improvement in the hunt- 
ing and fishing, the resort business should increase 
to a very large figure. 

The people living in and near the forest reserve 
should be most interested in this project, and if they 
were fully advised as to the great benefit which will 
inure therefrom both to themselves and the people 
of Wisconsin, they would not hesitate to aid in the 
furthering and advancement of the present forestry 
work. We venture to say that in years to come 
when this territory adapted to the growth of trees 
has been carefully protected from fire and replanted 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 57 

to native white and norway pine it will become the 
resort of thousands of sportsmen, health and pleas- 
ure seekers; that the revenue from this source will 
equal, if not surpass, the benefits to be derived 
from farming; that it will not only prove of great 
commercial value to the people of that section from 
a forestry standpoint, but will assist and aid in its 
agricultural development. If thousands of people 
visit this place in a season, the farmers and people 
living there will be the ones to profit thereby. There 
is no class of people better able or more willing to 
pay high prices for good farm products than the 
tourist. Another source of profit is, that the grow- 
ing and harvesting of a crop of trees and replanting 
when cut furnishes an opportunity tor the employ- 
ment of laboring men. Forestry will aid in making 
the whole area productive, something which cannot 
be if non-agricultural land is not planted to trees. 
A well-established and continually maintained forest 
will give employment through planting, care, har- 
vesting and manufacture to a great number of 
people. The opportunity for a splendid forest re- 
serve, for a State Park where the people from all 
parts of Wisconsin can journey and enjoy out-of- 
door life coupled with the farm development of the 
good agricultural lands and the natural beauties of 
this region, should make it the finest in Wisconsin 
and one of the best in the United States. 



58 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



CHANGE IN THE FIRE LAW 

In cases of emergency where forest fires are so 
bad^that the local fire wardens are unable to control 
them without the assistance of residents, and where 
special fire wardens appointed on recommendation 
of the town chairman by the State Forester, have 
to take charge and call out helpers, it is important 
that the men who fight fire be paid|more promptly 
than is possible under the present ^law which re- 
quires the approval of claims by county boards 
which do not meet at all frequently. Many of the 
men who are available to fight fires in forested 
regions are only temporarily in the vicinity, or, if 
there for longer time, are unwilling to fight fire 
unless they are paid promptly. 

Therefore, it seems best to have such men paid 
in the first instance by the State, which will then 
collect one-half the expense from the county, instead 
of having the payment made first by the county, 
which then collects one-half from the State. The 
State can make prompt payment and the county 
cannot, if the approval of the county board is first 
to be obtained. 

The following amendment does not make any 
change in the amount of payment allowed or in 
the ultimate source of such payment; it merely re- 
verses the order of procedure, so as to secure prompt 
payment, aud substitutes the joint approval of the 
fire warden under w^hom service was performed and 
of the state forester for the approval of the county 
board. 

AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1494-48a. 

2. The fire wardens appointed by the state fire 
warden shall prepare itemized accounts for their own 
services and the services of their assistants, and no 
account shall be paid until it has been approved 
bv the state fire w^arden, or assistant state fire war- 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 59 

den. The secretary of state shall then issue a war- 
rant upon the general fund of the state treasury 
for the amount of such account, and the state 
treasurer shall pay the same. Under the provisions 
of this act the secretary of state shall not issue 
warrants for more than ten thousand dollars for 
fighting forest fires in any one county in any one 
year, and one half of the amount paid by the state 
shall be refunded to the state by the county in 
which the fires were fought. In case the work of 
fighting fires covers a portion of two or more coun- 
ties, the amount to be paid by each county shall 
be decided by the state fire warden. 

3. As soon as each account has been approved 
by the state fire warden and paid by the state treas- 
urer, the state fire warden shall send to the county 
treasurer a bill for the county's share of the ex- 
pense and a copy of the bill shall be filed with the 
secretary of state. The county shall have sixty 
days within which to pay any bill but if not paid 
within sixty days the county shall be liable for 
interest at the rate of six per centum per annum. 
However, if the sixty days shall have elapsed be- 
fore the time provided by law for the secretary 
of state to certify to the counties the levy for state 
taxes, then the secretary of state shall include the 
bill or bills against the county for fighting fire 
which remain unpaid in the levy against the county 
for state taxes. 

NOTE: — The above amendment is to replace sub- 
sections 2 and 3 of section 1494-48a. 



60 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTKK 



TAXATION 

A serious mistake was made when the present 
forestry work was begun in not making some pro- 
vision for the relief of the taxing districts by reason 
of their being deprived of the tax revenue from the 
State lands. 

During the time that the State has been acquiring 
184,314 acres, it has disposed of 79,974 acres; still, 
in the effort of the forestry board to block up and 
consolidate the reserve the State's holdings have 
become confined to a much smaller territory. Hence, 
the loss of taxable property by some of the assess- 
ment districts has become very noticeable and in 
some instances a considerable hardship. The earlier 
Legislatures should have made some provision for 
this. In spite of the fact that the forestry depart- 
ment has recommended some relief, nothing was 
done, however, until the session of 1913. 

At that lime a bill was passed which provided 
for the payment by the State of a tax upon all 
lands within the forest reserve area for all except 
State purposes at a rate of taxation not to exceed 
1^ per centum of the assessed value. By reason 
of this having been limited to the forest reserve 
area the ciuestion of its constitutionality has been 
raised and the matter is now before the State Su 
pre me Court. 

That this act will, if constitutional, afford relief 
has not been questioned. 

The total assessed value of all the State lands in 
the forest reserve amounts to $1,249,521 for the 
year 1913, the tax upon which, as certified by the 
Wisconsin Tax Commission to the Secretary of 
State, amounted to $15,619.05. 

Pennsylvania has a system by which each town- 
ship or assessment district is paid two cents per acre 
towards the maintenance of schools and an additional 
two cents per acre toward the up-keep of its roads — 
this making in all four cents per acre. Taking the 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 61 

Stale holdings at 400,000 acres at four cents per acre 
would make $16,000, or approximately the same 
amount which would have been paid by the State 
under Chapter 740 of the Laws of 1913 had not the 
constitutional question been raised. 

Should this law be found unconstitutional it will 
be necessary for the state to provide adequate relief. 



62 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



TAXATION OF PRIVATE TIMBER LANDS 

Many of the States of the Union have enacted 
various tax laws to encourage the planting and culti- 
vation of trees. None of them have solved the prob- 
lem of forest taxation. Practically no results have 
been obtained under them, although many have been 
in force for years. In most instances these laws 
apply strictly to plantations of timber or woodlots, 
making no provision for the exemption of natural 
growths of timber and, therefore, not encouraging 
protection of natural reproduction. 

That taxation had much to do in hurrying the 
cutting of timber and in discouraging its growth and 
preservation are too well-known to be questioned. 
Some effort should be made along these lines in 
Wisconsin. The present laws exempting from taxa- 
tion for thirty years are inadequate. Mature timber 
cannot be expected in that time, and if a full assess- 
ment is made after that period the result will be to 
practically confiscate the property before the timber 
is ready for the market. 

In Pennsylvania the lands are classified and imma- 
ture timber is placed in a class called an "Auxiliary 
Forest Reserve." The acceptance of these lands is 
left with the Forestry Commission. When placed in 
the above class they are not assessed for more than 
one dollar per acre until the trees are mature and 
cut, and when cut they are then taxed ten per centum 
upon the stumpage value of the timber. 

This exemption from taxation if in any considerable 
amount works the same injury to the local assess- 
ment district as the exemption of state forest hold- 
ings. By reason of that the aforementioned State 
made a further provision that wherever such Auxili- 
ary Forest Reserve lands are located that township 
or county should be paid out of the state treasury 
the sum of two cents an acre for roads and two cents 
an acre for schools. That has made it possible for 
individuals to engage in forestry in that State. The 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 63 

members of the Pennsylvania Forestry Commission 
seem to feel that the law is working satisfactorily 
and encouraging private attempts at reforestation. 

We herewith present the following bill for your 
consideration: 

A Bill relating to the taxation of timberlands: 

Section 1. In consideration of the public benefit to 
be derived from forestry management upon a consid- 
erable area of the timberlands within the state, the 
owner of any timberland may apply to the State 
Board of Forestry for an examination of his lands and 
timber. Such application shall be accompanied by a 
plat and description of such timberland and a guar- 
antee to pay the reasonable expense of such exami- 
nation and report. 

Section 2. In case the state board of forestry finds 
upon examination that the management of such tim- 
berland under forestry regulations would be a public 
benefit, it shall submit a report for the management 
of such lands to the owner thereof, clearly stating 
the regulations in regard to the cutting of the timber, 
and in case the owner shall accept the same, a con- 
tract covering the regulations for the cutting of the 
timber shall be entered into between the owner and 
the state; but no such contract shall be entered into 
in case of matured timber held for speculative pur- 
poses. 

Section 3. Upon the execution of the above con- 
tract, the state board of forestry shall file a plat 
and description of the lands with the local assessors, 
and after such plat and description have been filed 
with them, the assessors when making the annual 
assessment shall assess only the value of the land and 
no tax shall be paid upon the timber until it is cut. 
In no case shall the land be assessed at a higher 
rate than cut-over land in the same town. 

Section 4. When the owner of such timberlands 
cuts therefrom any timber, cord wood, poles, posts, 
or any other forest products for any purposes what- 
soever, he shall make, or cause to be made, an accu- 



64 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

rate measure of all such products and file a sworn 
copy of such measurement with the assessors, and 
such sworn statement shall be the basis of the tax 
valuation. 

Section 5. Before any such products are sold or re- 
moved the owner of the timberland from which they 
have been cut, shall pay in lieu of the usual annual 
tax upon the timber the following percentages of the 
stumpage value of such products as determined by 
the assessors, according to the number of years the 
timberland has been managed according to the pro- 
visions of the above contract, viz.: 

2 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 

3 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 

4 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 

5 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 
() years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 

7 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 

8 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 

9 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 
10 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 

From ten to forty years the timber or forest prod- 
ucts shall not be assessed over ten per cent of the 
stumpage value, as above provided, and the state 
shall not enter into any contract for a longer period 
than forty years. 

Section (>. The state board of forestry or the local 
assessors shall have the right at any time to make, 
or cause to be made, a check scale or measurement 
of any products for which a sworn statement has 
been hied with the assessors under the provisions of 
section 4 of this act. 

Sectit)n 7. All timberlands affected by any of the 
foregoing sections and assessed in the usual manner 
shall be subject to the same rules and regulations as 
to correction and review by local board of review as 
now p] .ided by law. The same right of appeal 
shall apply as affects any other property in the same 
district. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 65 

Section 8. The owner of any timberland who shall 
have entered into a contract with the state to man- 
age the forests under such regulations as the state 
may prescribe and who shall then fail to file a sworn 
statement as to the measurement of such products 
as he may cut, or who shall remove such products 
without notifying the local assessors, or who shall 
swear falsely as to the measurements of such pro- 
ducts, shall pay ten per cent of the value of such 
products as determined by the assessors, and in addi- 
tion thereto, shall be liable to a fine of not less than 
$1.00 nor more than $10.00 for each tree so cut and 
removed. 

Section 9. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent 
or in conflict with the provisions of this act are 
hereby repealed. 

Section 10. This act shall take effect and be in 
force from and after its passage and publication. 



66 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

CONSOLIDATION OF THE STATE BOARD OF 

FORESTRY WITH OTHER 

DEPARTMENTS 

We believe that the time is ripe for the consolida- 
tion of several of the boards which are working 
along the lines of conservation into one department 
to be known as the State Conservation Commission. 
In this way a great deal of the duplication and ex- 
pense of maintenance and operation may be elimi- 
nated. More effective work could be done and at 
the same time be placed in the hands of competent, 
trained officials. 

The work of many of the different departments is 
conducted, or at least, supervised, by ex-officio 
boards, acting without other compensation than 
their actual traveling expenses. By the consolida- 
tion of this work much better results can be ac- 
complished and men employed who would devote all 
of their time and energy to the work. 

We suggest that this commission be made to em- 
brace the following now existing departments: 

1. Fish and Game Department. 

2. Fish Commission. 

3. State Board of Forestry. 

4. State Park Board. 

5. State Conservation Commission. 

This work could then be placed in the hands of 
three men and at a much less expense than is now 
necessary. We would recommend that one of the 
Commissioners be a man with a thorough knowledge 
of the propagation, protection and care of fish and 
game; the second be a technically trained forester, 
and the third a technically trained engineer, and that 
all these appointments be made by the Governor in 
the same manner as the members of the Railroad 
Commission. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMriTEE 67 



A Bill 

To create sections 1494t-7 and 1494t-8 of the 
statutes; to amend subsection 1 of section 1498, 
section 1494-42, and section 1498x, of the statutes, 
and to repeal subsections 2, 3 and 4 of section 1498, 
and sections 1494-46, 1495, 1496 and 14941-1 of the 
statutes, abolishing the offices of state fish and game 
warden, state board of forestry, state conservation 
commission, commissioners of fisheries and the state 
park board, and providing for the appointment of a 
state conservation commission of Wisconsin. 

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented 
in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: 

Section 1. There are added to the statutes two 
new sections to read: Section 1494t-7. 1. A state 
conservation commission is hereby created to be com- 
posed of three commissioners. Immediately after 
the passage of this act the Governor shall, by and 
with the advice and consent of the senate, appoint 
such commissioners, but no commissioner so ap- 
pointed shall be qualified to act until so confirmed. 
One of the commissioners shall be a man with a 
thorough knowledge of the propagation, protection 
and care of fish and game; the second shall be a 
technically trained forester; and the third a tech- 
nically trained engineer. The term of one such 
appointee shall terminate on the first Monday in 
February, 1919; the term of the second such appoin- 
tee shall terminate on the first Monday in February, 
1921; and the term of the third such appointee 
shall terminate on the first Monday in February, 
1923. In January, 1919 and biennially thereafter 
there shall be appointed, and comfirmed in the 
same manner, one commissioner for the term of 
six years from the first Monday in February of 
such year. Each such commissioner so appointed 
shall hold his office until his successor is appointed 
and qualified. Any vacancies shall be filled by 
appointment by the governor for the unexpired 



68 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

term subject to confirmation by the senate, but 
no such appointment shall be in full force until 
acted upon by the senate. Each such commission- 
er shall receive an annual salary of three thousand 
five hundred dollars. 

2. The governor may at any time remove any 
commissioner for inefTiciency, neglect of duty, or 
malfeasance in office. Before such removal he 
shall give such commissioner a copy of the charges 
against him and shall fix a time when he can be 
heard in his own defense, which shall not be less 
than ten days thereafter, and such hearing shall 
be open to the public. If he shall be removed 
the governor shall file in the office of the secretary 
of state a complete statement of all charges made 
against such commissioner, and his findings thereon, 
with a record of all proceedings. 

3. No commissioner, nor the secretary, shall hold 
any other office, or position of profit, or pursue any 
other business or vocation, or serve on or under 
any committee of any political party, but shall 
devote his entire time to the duties of his office. 

4. Before entering upon the duties of his office, 
each of said commissioners shall take and sub- 
scribe a constitutional oath of ofTice, and shall in 
addition thereto swear (or affirm) that he holds no 
other office of profit, nor any position under any 
political committee or party; such oath (or afTir- 
mation) shall be filed in the office of the secretary 
of state. 

5. The commissioners appointed under this sec- 
tion shall within twenty days after their appoint- 
ment and afTirmation meet at the state capitol and 
organize by electing one of their number chairman, 
who shall serve until the second Monday of Febru- 
ary 1917. On the second Monday of February in 
each odd numbered year the commissioners shall meet 
at the ofTice of the commission and elect a chairman 
who shall serve for two years and until his succes- 
sor is elected. A majority of said commissioners 
shall constitute a cjuorum to transact business, and any 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 69 

vacancy shall not impair the right of the remaining 
commissioners to exorcise all the powess of the 
commission. 

6. Said commission shall appoint a secretary who 
shall keep a full and correct account of all trans- 
actions and proceedings of said commission and 
shall perform such other duties as may be required 
by said commission and shall receive an annual 
salary not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars. Said 
commission may employ the necessary clerks and 
stenographers to perform the clerical work of the 
office, and appoint and employ such foresters, ward- 
ens, experts, agents, superintendents, assistants and 
employes as may be necessary to carry out the pro- 
visions of this section, and shall fix the compensa- 
tion for such clerks, stenographers, foresters, ward- 
ens, experts, agents, superintendents, assistants and 
employes. The experts and temporary employes 
shall be exempt from the operation of chapter 44a 
of the statutes. 

7. The commissioners shall be known collectively 
as the "state conservation commission of Wiscon- 
sin" and in that name may sue and be sued. It 
shall have a seal with the words "state conserva- 
tion commission of Wisconsin," and such other 
design as the commission may prescribe engraved 
thereon, by which it shall authenticate its proceed- 
ings and of which the court shall take judicial 
notice. 

8. Said commission shall keep its office at the 
state capitol and the superintendent of public prop- 
erty is directed to provide suitable rooms for that 
purpose, also the necessary office furniture, supplies, 
postage and stationery. Said commission is author- 
ized to purchase the necessary supplies, equipment 
and instruments, to procure printed forms and not- 
ices and to issue special publications pertaining to 
its work, the cost of which shall be audited and paid 
the same as other expenses of the state are audited 
and paid. Said commission may hold meetings at 
other places than the capitol whenever in its judg- 



70 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

menl the interests of the state can best be served 
by SO doing. 

Section 1494t-8. 1. All duties, liabilities, authority, 
powers, and privileges imposed or conferred by law 
upon the state lish and game warden, the state 
board of forestry, the state forester, the assistant 
state forester, the state fire warden, the assistant 
state fire warden, the stale trespass agent and the 
assistant state trespass agent, the state conservation 
commission, the commissioners of fisheries, the super- 
intendent of fisheries, the assistant superintendent of 
fisheries and the state park board are conferred and 
imposed ui)on the state conservation commission of 
Wisconsin. 

2. All provisions of the statutes relating to the 
state fish and game warden, all deputies, special and 
county game wardens, to the state board of forestry 
to the state forester, to the assistant state forester, 
to the state, county and town fire wardens, to tres- 
pass agents, to the state conservation commission, 
to the commissioners of fisheries, to the superintend- 
ent of fisheries, to the assistant superintendent of 
fisheries and to the state park board shall apply to 
and be deemed to relate to the said state conserva- 
tion commission of Wisconsin, and the officers pro- 
vided for by this section, so far as the said laws are 
applicable. 

3. All funds, approi)ria lions and mone\s made 
available by law for carrying out the purposes set 
forth in the laws creating, regulating, providing for 
and relating to such (ish and game warden, such 
stale board of forestry, such commissioners of fish- 
eries, the state conservation commission, and such 
state park board, and any laws creating, regulating, 
providing for and relating to all clerks, employes, 
assistants, deputies, wardens, special and additional 
wardens, county wardens, county or town fire 
wardens, trespass agents and superintendents, and 
all funds, appropriations and moneys under the con- 
trol of any state hsh and game warden, such slate 
board of forestrv, of such commissioners of fisheries, 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 71 

of the stale conservation commission, and such state 
park board, and all clerks, employes, assistants, 
deputies, wardens, special and additional wardens, 
county wardens, county or town fire wardens, tres- 
pass agents, and superintendents, shall be available 
to and under the control of the state conservation 
commission of Wisconsin herein created. 

4. All laws relating to the collection, carrying, 
transfer, custody and disbursement of said funds, 
appropriations and moneys, or relating to any cler- 
ical or ministerial act involved in such collection, 
carrying, transfer, custody and disbursement thereof 
shall apply to the collection, carrying, transfer, 
custody and disbursement of said funds when under 
the control of the said state conservation commission 
of Wisconsin. 

5. Any amendment made to sections of the stat- 
utes relating to the duties, liabilities, authorities, 
powers and privileges of or relating to funds, ap- 
propriations and moneys available to or under the 
control of any of the commissioners or officers named 
in this section shall be deemed to relate to the 
duties, liabilities, authority, powers, and privileges 
imposed and conferred upon the said conservation 
commission and to the funds, appropriations and 
moneys available to or under the control of such 
commission. 

Section 2. Subsection 1 of section 1498, subsec- 
tions 3 and 4 of section 1494-42, and section 1498x 
of the statutes are amended to read: (Section 1498) 
i. 54^^ gevepttOF ^all a ppoint a state #&^ m^ 
gaitte wftpdes- by- ftft4 wi-tfe- -tih-e ftdvi^e ftft4 consent 
ef -the senate, wh^e shftH 4^eld- feis efftee -fei^ -W^e 
•tepffl- el 4we yeaFS fpe«^ -the 4&te el Ms appo 4fi-t- 
ffl-e-H-t aft4 -H-«-ti4 his suc c e s s o r is ap pointe d- €t¥t4 
^-ttatified-, -tn^ess re move d- by- -the govern o i^ fe^ 
m-i& condu et, i-Ref ficicnc y, of ftegieet ef d-H-ty; aft4 
an-y va&ft«-ey eee«-PFtftg 4-u- ring said- ^Fffl- shall be 
fi-H-ed by -the g- ovornor foF t4*e Fesid-u-e of -the ^Fi«-. 
It shall be the duty of setid wf^^e^ the state con- 
servation commission of Wisconsin to secure the 



72 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



enforcement of the law for the preservation of fish 
and game and to bring or cause to be brought 
actions and proceedings in the name of the state 
to recover any and all fines and penalties provided 
for. Me shall afee perform -tfee same d uties fts 
ftfe ift Gcction 1636c prer i cribcd foi^ fee wardens , 
ftft4 shall further report ^ -tl^e land commissio fter^ 
ftfty information relating te -y^e ^^tfi-fee ktftds e* 
shall ffOift time to time be required ftftd conccrn - 
iftg ftfty trespasse s tr hereon which may eomc -to 
Ms knowledge . 

Section 1494-42. 4-. There shall be a state fof- 
este^, who shall be a technically trained forester , 
appointed by- ti^e state board of forestry , a«4 
whether ft«-y candidate foi^ -tl^i* p ositio n- is a- tech - 
nically -t rained forester shall be d etermined by 
ee rtificates from -tb-e secretary of. -y^e United States 
department of ftgfie-H- lture . 

3. Me sbeaH- r eceive a salary of -t hree -tj^o usan d- 
six hundred dollars pe¥ year , -oftd -tbe actual ft«d 
Bee es s ar y trave liftg €»-Bd field expenses, in curred 
ifi- -tl^e conduct of Ms official b usiness , he e«^- 
powc fed -to appoint a- eleidr who se salary st^ad fto^ 
e xcee d fifteen b- undred dollars per a n n u m ) be 
s upplied with suitable offices , be entitled from 
■tfie superintendent of public property to such 
stationary , postage , a«d other oft+ee supplies aftd 
equipment -as may be necessary , be authorized ^ 
purchas e ad necessary fi e ld supplie s, e quipment , 
aftd instruments , be furnished by t4*e state ad 
necessary p rinted foritts €t¥^ «-otiees €t¥t4 -tde p^ih- 
lications dere i natter p r ov ided , ^i^ shall aet as 
secretary of -tbe state board of forestry . 

g, $k^, 4-, T'/je .s/rt/e conservation commission of Wis- 
consin shall, unde r tbe supervision of -tde state 
board of forestry , execute all matters pertaining to 
forestry within the jurisdiction of the state, direct 
the management of the state forest reserve, depute 
Ofte of Ms assistants -to aet d-tH^i«-g dis absence or 
disability , collect data relative to forest destruc- 
tion and conditions, take such action as is author- 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 73 

ized by law to prevent and extinguish forest fires 
and to prevent forest trespass; cooperate in for- 
estry as provided under Section 1494-45 of the 
statutes; and advance as he may deem he deemed 
wise by the issuing of publications and by lectures, 
the cause of forestry within the state; and may 
cooperate with the university of Wisconsin in the 
instruction and training of forest rangers. Me 
Such commission shall prepare biennially ft report 
■te -tfee stftte board ef forestry bicnniallij on the 
progress and condition of state forest work, and 
recommend therein plans for improving the state 
system of forest protection, management, replace- 
ment, and taxation. ¥^e state board ef forestry 
shall f cport biennially ft summary e^ s-H-efe fact s 
to the governor. 

4. 2 — The care and protection of all lands that 
have been, or may hereafter be acquired by 
the state for public park purposes, shall be under 
the direction of the state bofti^ ef forestr y cun- 
servcdion commission of Wisconsin, and all moneys 
appropriated for the purposes of the protection and 
improvement of such parks shall be expended under 
the supervision of such b^ft^d- of foFes-t^y commis- 
sion. 

Section 1498x. Thc pe i^ hereby 
missio tt -te fee 4^-R- own fts -tfee 
e ommission ef -tfee stft-te ef -Wi&e^ 
te consist of seveft m c mbc ps, -to fee ftp^ 
■tfee governor . Tfee -tefm- ef office el -tfee eem-m-i*- 
s ionc ps shal l fee #efH- July 4-, 19 11, fts follows : 
5-we feF ft period- ef -two years, trwe fer ft peri-ed- el 
four yeftrs, ftftd- three ler ft peFi-e4 el si?t yeftps: fts 
■tfeeif -te^m* ej^re fttl ftppeifi-ti«efl~ts shall fee ler 
m^ years ft«-4 -H-fi+i-l -their successors ftre ftppeifl-te4. 
The duties el -tfee The stcde conservation commis- 
sion of Wisconsin shall fee -to consider the natural 
resources of the state of Wisconsin with reference 
to their remaining unimpaired so far as this is 
practicable. The commission shall presefl-t ft ftrst 
report to the governor efl- or feelere J-H-«-e ^, 4-&4-S, 




74 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

ftft4 biennially -tfe-efea-l^eF, f3ii ch ^epoFfe ^ ee«-taift 
on or before June 30, of each odd numbered year, the 
results of investigations and recommendations as to 
measures to be taken to conserve the natural 
resources of the state, and, if such recommenda- 
tions embody legislation, drafts of bills to accom- 
plish the same. The governor is authorized to 
have such reports printed by the state printer. 

Section 3. Subsections 2, 3 and 4 of section 1498, 
and sections 1494-46, 1495, 1496 and 1494t-l of 
the statutes are repealed from and after September 
1, 1915. 

Section 4. This act shall take effect upon passage 
and publication. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE /O 



Summary 

The Cummiltcc Found: 

1. That Wisconsin conditions are ideal lor the growing of trees, 
particularly white and norway pine. 

2. That artificial reforestation will ullimately l)econie a source of 
profit to the State. 

.3. That such planting should be confined to principally white and 
norway pine. 

4. That quicker and cheaper results can be had by the encourage- 
ment of natural second growth — that is, natural reproduction. 

5. That it will only be a few years before owners of |)rivale estates 
will engage in the reforestation of their non-agricultural lands. 

6. That the task given the committee to decide which of the lands 
in the proposed Forest Reserve are best adapted to agriculture is an 
impossible one; it would recjuire a soil survey and cruising by experts. 
That all the committee could do was to make general observations. 

7. That the question as to which of the lands are available for agri- 
culture is a debatable one. That the demand in a few years may be 
such that some of the land now really considered non-|)rofitable for 
farming may i)e cultivated. 

8. That the State lands now owned do not compare favorably with 
other lands in the proposed reserve. 

9. That the selection of the lands in the proposed reserve was well 
made and no better place could be found in the State. 

10. That lands should be held in large areas in order to lessen the 
cost of fire protection and other expense of reforestation. 

11. That there are large areas in other parts of the State only fit 
for forestry, which future commercial interests may demand the use of 
for this purpose. 

12. That climatic conditions, while a hindrance in growing certain 
crops, do no more than limit the field of operation, yet with oppor- 
tunity for fairly good returns. 

13. That the committee fonnd large areas which were very rough, 
covered with gravel, stone and huge boulders. That large areas — in 
fa?t, a major portion of the lands which the committee had an oppor- 
tunity to investigate are i)etter adapted to forestry than to farming. 

14. That if these areas are used for forestry it will not interfere in 
any way with the agricultural development, neither should farming 
interfere with forestrv. The one should assist the other. 



76 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 

15. With 13,000,000 acres undeveloped in Northern Wisconsin, and 
three and a quarter milUon non-agricultural — that is 25 per cent — there 
is sufficient land for forestry and yet no dearth of land left to farm. 

16. That there are thousands of acres of lands in Northern Wis- 
consin which on account of the poor soil and rough nature will not be 
used for farming in this generation or several to come. 

17. That there is no section of the State where an attempt at re- 
forestation can produce a quicker illustration of its possibilities. That 
soil conditions are the very best for a natural reproduction of pine. 

18. That by reason of the miles of old logging grades and the 
hundreds of lakes an excellent opportunity is afforded for the estab- 
lishment of a cheap and good fire protection system. 

19. That scattering state lands should be sold and money used to 
ward the purchase of lands in the proposed permanent reserve. 

20. That the present work of the department be confined to the 
proposed permanent reserve. 

21. That small forest reserves in several districts are not |)ractical 
on account of expense of operation. 

22. That the present state lands in tlu' proposed reserve are ample 
upon which to demonstrate what can be expected in this work. 

2.3. That much of the present opposition to forestry is occasioned by 
the demand for lake frontages. 

24. That by reason of the increased demand the inferior species of 
timber now growing on the state lands will be of inestimable value. 

25. That none of the timber owned by the state be sold until 
mature or unless there be a real demand for the land for agriculture. 
That all timber lands should be conserved. 

2(i. That more recent investigations tend to substantiate the claim 
that in order to secure a uniform stream flow, the head-waters of our 
rivers should be protected with a forest growth. That deforestation 
is conductive to rapid snow melting and stream run-off. 

27. That the lands in the proposed reserve be retained and future 
purchases be limited to that area. 

28. That agricultural lands, in areas of 1,000 acres or more, now 
owned by the state be classified and immediately offered for sale to 
actual settlers. That said lands be sold cheaply, on long terms, at a 
low rate of interest. Sold under some such provisions as to their 
occupancy and improvements as now required under the United States 
Homestead law. In tracts not to exceed 160 acres. In accordance 
with a bill to be presented. 

29. That fifty per cent of all the frontage on each lake in the 
proposed reserve be held by the State; that no lake frontage be sold 
unless classified as of agricultural value and then only to actual settlers. 



REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 77 

30. That the establishment of the forest reserve has insured the 
permanent attractiveness of this region for public recreation pur- 
poses. 

31. That the present taxation law, if constitutional, provides ade- 
quate relief to the assessment districts for the loss of taxes on state 
lands. 

32. That a new law for the taxation of private timber lands be 
enacted along the lines of a bill herewith presented. 

33. That the following departments be consolidated under the head 
of a board of three members to be known as the State Conservation 
Commission: 1. Fish & Game Department; 2. Fish Commission; 
3. State Board of Forestry; 4. State Park Board; 5. State Conserva- 
ion Commission; for which a bill is herewith presented. 



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